Hi,
In the US they used to use Silver Nitrate eye drops at birth, but they are changing that now because it burnt babies eyes. Lots of states now use Erythromycin which doesnt burn. Apparently its administered routinely over there to minimise infections such as gonnorhea (sp) and chlamydia and also some more common bacterial infections. They give it straight away after birth which is pretty horrible when you think of all the other shocks to the systems our babies get at birth! You think they'd just check the mothers for the infections prior to birth instead of subjecting the baby to this.