Purulent discharge from the eyes of children

Very often, in the first days of a newborn's life , purulent discharge from the eye is observed. The cause of such secretions may be a disease such as newborn dacryocystitis. It must be differentiated with mild inflammations of the mucous membrane of the eye, in which white discharge from the eyes is observed. This disease is an inflammatory process that occurs in a lacrimal sac.

During the intrauterine period of the child in the tear-nasal ducts there is a gelatinous film or cork, which protects it from the penetration of amniotic fluid. At the time of birth, during the first inhalation and screaming in a newborn, this film breaks through, resulting in the patency of this channel. If this does not happen, the tear may stagnate in the lacrimal sac, the infection then joins against this background, after which an acute or chronic form of dacryocystitis develops.

The first signs of this disease are purulent discharge from the eye, tearfulness, rarely tearing in combination with a slight reddening of the conjunctiva. The occurring process is often taken for usual conjunctivitis.

The main feature of this disease is the secretion of pus on lacrimal points during pressure in the area of the lacrimal sac. This symptom is sometimes not detected, which is often associated with previously implemented drug therapy. To clarify the diagnosis, they conduct a special collargoll test. In the eyes of the child, a drop of a solution of collargol (3%), which is a coloring substance, is instilled. Preliminary, a cotton wick is inserted into the nasal cavity . The appearance of collargoll on the wick after 5 minutes is evaluated as a positive test. It is considered to be slow if the paint is detected only after 6 or more minutes and negative if the coloring occurs after 20 minutes. This test is considered positive, when after instillation of the substance, the eye conjunctiva becomes enlightened for 3 minutes. A negative result indicates a disturbance in conductivity in the suture system, but can not determine the nature and level of damage. In this case, you can not do without the advice of a specialist. A serious complication of dacryocystitis is the phlegmon of lacrimal sacs, accompanied by a sharp rise in temperature and restless behavior of the child. The outcome of the disease is sometimes the formation of fistulous tear sack.

In chronic process, the main symptom of the disease is abundant purulent discharge, which fills the eye gap, most often after crying or sleeping. Having established the diagnosis, you should immediately start treatment. First of all, the anatomy of the tear ducts, the projection of the lacrimal sac, is studied. Before the massage, wash your hands, cut your nails. You can use medical sterile gloves during the procedure.

1. Purulent discharge is squeezed out of the lacrimal sac.

2. In the eye instilled a solution of furatsilina, heated to body temperature (1: 5000).

3. Remove the purulent discharge with a cotton sterile swab.

4. Massage is performed in the area of lacrimal sacs by gently pressing with your index finger 5 times downwards to break through the film.

5. Disinfecting drops are instilled (Vitabakt or 0.25% Levomycetin).

6. Such manipulations are conducted 4-5 times daily.

Massage should be done for at least 2 weeks. Gelatinous film breaks or resolves in 3-4 months (if correctly to carry out all recommendations).

If the purulent discharge from the eyes does not stop, the lacrimal nasal canal should be probed . This procedure is performed in the eye cabinet. This is a complex and painful procedure. It is performed using local anesthesia. After probing for 1 week, the above massage is mandatory. Purulent discharge in dacryocystitis is observed in 5% of newborns.