A pink eye in babies may result from an infection or allergy and is known as conjunctivitis. Often, conjunctivitis may resolve on its own, and medical treatment is usually not required. The best way to prevent the condition from affecting your baby’s eyes is by avoiding the causative factors. Continue reading this post as we describe the causes of pink eye in babies, its symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures.
What Is A Pink Eye In Babies?
A pink eye is the generic name for an eye infection called conjunctivitis (1). It is one of the most common eye infections to affect people of all age groups including infants and toddlers. The affected part is the conjunctiva, which is a thin layer of tissue covering the white of the eyes and also the inside of the eyes. Hence the name conjunctivitis.
What Causes Pink Eye In Babies?
According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are four types of pink eye: viral, bacterial, irritant, and allergen. All four causes display similar symptoms and each category has several agents/pathogens that can lead to a pink eye: While several factors could lead to pink eyes in babies, finding out the exact cause of it in babies is important to provide the right treatment.
Is Pinkeye Contagious?
Viral or bacterial pinkeye can be highly contagious. Viral conjunctivitis is spread through hand-to-eye contact, by objects contaminated with the virus, or by large respiratory droplets. Bacterial conjunctivitis may spread through hand-to-eye contact, contaminated object to eye contact, a vertical transmission (from mother to baby during childbirth), or by large respiratory tract droplets (6) (7).
How Does A Baby Get Pink Eye?
Certain risk factors can increase an infant and toddler’s risk of acquiring the pink eye infection. They include: There are several ways your little one can get conjunctivitis. It is thus essential to know how to spot the symptoms.
Early Signs Of Conjunctivitis Infection
Some signs of impending conjunctivitis can be identified before the eye changes its color to pink. At times, babies may get pink eye immediately after an episode of a viral ear or throat infection. Babies might exhibit the following signs before the eye becomes pink:
Swollen or puffy eyelids Reddish discoloration of the eyelids Watery eyes Frequent rubbing of the eyes Sticky discharge from eyes or crust formation Increased irritability Increased sleepiness Reduced laziness Increased clinginess Reduced appetite Diarrhea or constipation
What Are The Symptoms Of Pink Eye In Babies?
A baby with conjunctivitis displays the following symptoms (8):
How Is A Pink Eye Diagnosed?
Doctors use the following steps for the diagnosis of conjunctivitis in infants: A proper diagnosis follows a course of treatment, which depends on the underlying cause.
How Is The Pink Eye In Infants Treated?
In most cases, conjunctivitis goes away on its own and treatment is rarely needed. Certain steps, however, help ease the symptoms and accelerate the rate of healing. Treatment options include (9) (10): Always use the antibiotics in the prescribed quantity to prevent overdose and develop antibiotic resistance. Visit the doctor before using antibiotic eye drops. Most infants show an improvement in 2-6 days without antibiotic treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis. You can wash the allergen using water in the case of older toddlers. Make sure to keep your hands clean and use clean water, preferably clean drinking water. Pour the water gently over the eye to rinse the allergen away. If the child does not get relief, then consult the doctor.
How Can Parents Help?
Adults with conjunctivitis often use cold compresses and saline drops for the eyes. However, such infection management techniques may not be safe for a baby. Some mothers may pour a small quantity of breast milk into the infected eye of the infant. But there is no scientific evidence that breast milk is an effective cure for conjunctivitis in babies. Instead, some research suggests that breastmilk can introduce conjunctivitis causing bacteria into the eyes (12). Do not try any home remedies without consulting your doctor. It is best to avoid any home remedies for your baby’s pink eyes since we do not know how the infant’s eye would respond to them. If the eyes get too watery or sticky, use a sterile gauze cotton swab to clean them gently. The doctor can prescribe an antiseptic liquid to soak the gauze cotton swab in it before cleaning the eyelid. Always clean externally and never inside the eye. Do not use a cotton wool ball as cotton fibers can get into the eyes (13).
Can Pink Eye Become More Serious?
In most cases, conjunctivitis does not pose a serious threat. However, conjunctivitis in a newborn can be severe and needs immediate medical attention (14). Rarely, conjunctivitis may pose a serious threat to overall health. A severe and untreated case of allergic conjunctivitis may lead to irreversible scarring in the eye. Rarely, infectious conjunctivitis may spread to other body parts and lead to secondary infections such as meningitis (15). Complications can be pervasive among infants with immunosuppressive diseases, such as HIV/AIDS or cancer. Pink eye in babies is mostly a self-limiting infection that resolves without any complications (16). Nevertheless, prevention is always the best option.
How To Prevent Pink Eyes In Babies?
Preventing pink eye in babies is like avoiding any other illness. Here is what you must do to protect your child from conjunctivitis (6):
Signs You Should Call the Doctor
The following signs in a baby with conjunctivitis indicate the need to see a doctor (9) (17):
Signs does not improve or worsen even after two days Increase swelling, pain, or redness around the eyelids or surrounding the eyes Persistent fever A white spot in the front of the eye Increased sensitivity to light Pus or mucus discharge from the eyes
