News for Infant Eye Care

The most common advise for caring for such a delicate area is antibiotic eye ointment, usually erythromycin, to be applied to the newborn’s eyes as a precaution against any bacteria which may have been transmitted from the birth canal to the baby’s eyes. Bacteria that cause syphilis and gonorrhea can cause blindness in the infant. While the ointment is mild and not as dangerous as its precedent, silver nitrate drops, which also caused blindness, there are effective herbal alternatives.

Washing the eyes with a warm echinacea root decoction is an excellent, safe, and effective alternative to the conventional ointment. This eyewash can also be diluted with mother’s milk, if any is available. Mother’s milk is abundant in natural substances called lysosomes, which can also be found in saliva and tears. These convey remarkable protective antiseptic and infection fighting qualities, and it is fine for this new milk to go into tender new eyes. These same options can also be used if an eye infection does develop. Newborn eye infections are common, as before baby’s tear ducts begin working things can become congested. Regular washing of the eyes with tepid water will serve as a preventive measure. If pinkeye, or conjunctivitis should develop, the echinacea eyewash with or without mother’s milk will soothe, protect, and initiate healing.