Eye Discharge in Babies

Children’s Eye Center of Orange County is headed up by Dr. Golareh Fazilat, a dedicated pediatric ophthalmologist. As part of her expertise, Dr. Fazilat sees babies with eye discharge whose parents are concerned.

What causes eye discharge in babies?

There are many different possibilities for eye discharge in babies, and not all of them are a cause for concern. For example, one of the most common causes is blocked tear ducts. Babies are born with underdeveloped tear ducts, which can result in consistent pooling of tears until the ducts develop and the tears can drain properly. Blocked ducts can also result in sticky eye mucus that can make your baby’s eyelashes stick together.

However, other causes can be related to infection, which is more likely if the discharge is green or yellow, or if there is redness or swelling around the eyes.