[Missmarymack]

My almost 3 week old DD has had sticky eyes for about 10 days now (as diagnosed by the MCHN). Thw discharge is a light green and the nurse told us not to worry unless it turned to a dark green. we've been cleaning her eyes with cotton wool wet with saline (contact lens solution) or breast milk but it doesn't seem to be getting any better.

Does anyone know how long this might last? It doesn't look very comfortable for DD I'm getting tempted to take her to the dr for a second opinion... WWYD?

[Oma Desala]

I would probably take her to the GP just to be on the safe side. DS had something similar at about 10 days and the pharmacist said to do as you have been, clean the eyes with cotton wool and saline then put a drop or two of breastmilk in each eye. Only difference was that it was fixed it in a couple of days.

Hope it clears up soon.

This post has been edited by Oma Desala: 22/11/2012, 11:33 PM

[alikat2]

My son was born with a sticky eye. I persisted with the saline and breast milk for six weeks until his paediatrician appt at six weeks. The doctor said to try the chlorsig drops. One dose cleared the problem completely.

[Frau Farbissina]

both my kids had this - it lasted up to a year with DS1. I did a lot of what you have mentioned, and massaging the tear ducts. It did eventually go away, however we never had it go green. If you're not sure about going to the doctor, pop into your local chemist tomorrow and get the pharmacist to take a look. They should be able to advise if there is something else you can do at home, or buy over the counter that can clear it up or if the doctor is the next step. Best of luck!

[Ehill]

My DS had it terribly when he was born. I think it took nearly 6weeks for it to finally clear.

You just need to be really dilligent, clear it constantly, make sure you have clean hands, a new cotton ball and the liquids are not running into each eye. It is so easy for each eye to re-infect the other eye! I also had a small bottle of EBM in the fridge and everytime I cleaned it I would then drop some EBM in as well. Just do it a million times a day and it should clear. And as a PP mentioned massage the tear ducts.

Good luck and congrats.

[TwoHeadedGirl]

If you go to the GP they can take a swab of the discharge and yet it to find out what it is, if its nothing infectious then you're already doing the best thing! We've been doing this from birth and DS still has sticky eye at 10 months

[msro82]

Dd had a sticky eye from birth until 15 months when it was probed. Most babies grow out of it by 12 months though. I recall DD's being more a yellow colour. Probably best to have it checked by a GP to ensure there is no infection.

[toc76]

DS2 has sticky eye for about 3 months after he was born. We did the saline, breast milk, etc for the whole time as we were told it would clear up as recommended by MCHN and doctor. After 3 months of no improvement our doctor gave us chlorsig drops and it cleared up within days.

[MsJaeBoykin]

My son had it for only a week. I bathed his eye with warm salt water and got a cotton ball and just wiped over it, just once, and used a new ball for each wipe.. Worked wonders..

[soontobegran]

Honestly I wouldn't be mucking around with an eye that is oozing green no matter how dark it is.
It is probably just a blocked duct but that doesn't mean it will not be growing a bug that requires antibiotics.

Whilst most sticky eyes are nothing to be concerned about and will clear up using the methods that the PP's have mentioned there is a point at which the discharge should be investigated.
Good luck.