MJ had a similar problem.
Although it wasnt infection i used calendula tea when i cleaned her eyes and it went away really quickly.
I dont know if it will work for you, but helped.
If you are interested...
I bought calendula flower tea from a health food shop, brewed the tea, added cool water to cool it and when it was the right temp i would clean both eyes out. Did it after every sleep.
We she got a teething rash or sore bottom i would also add the tea to her bath water and it would clear it right up.
I also used it as a bum wiping solution with home made wipes and we never got Nappy rash - other than when she had gastro...
Hope this helps, if not with you, but might be useful to someone else.
I hope your DD's eyes right themselves soon
xo
Yes, my DD was born with both eyes blocked from birth, and weeping yellow gunk when infected,or otherwise constantly streaming tears.
They try not to probe before 12 months in Australia, as most of the time (90%ish) grow out of it when the tubes grow bigger as the face grow bigger, and the blockage naturally passes through into the nasal cavity. They probe earlier than that in 3rd world countries as you can pick up nasty infections through your eyes. There is no risk to the eyesight.
If it is yellow gunk, you should be cleaning it every 4 hours or so with saline solution and cotton wool. Use a NEW ball for each swipe (otherwise you reinfect), and clean from the inside corner to the outside. If it is a blockage massaging tear ducts sometimes works, but mostly doesn't. On top of that you should be seeing your GP for antibiotic eye drops, as you need to get rid of the infection (only for the yellowy gunk, not the clear tears, they are fine).
The actually operation is very simple. They will put them under a general (but not tube them, so it is a very very light general), which is really to stop them moving. The will insert the probe down, until they can see/feel that metal probe touching the metal probe going up the nose. Sometimes they have a few bloody tears. My DD had the op at 11 months, and was awake from her light general before i had time to make it to recovery. The post op is just like any kid waking up from an operation.
90% of those that have the probing done once finds it fixes the problem, the other 10% have to try a 2nd probing.
For those in Melb, I can recommend a fantastic paediatric opthamologist & surgeon, who works out of the RCH.
My DD has deformed tear ducts, so we tried a 2nd plastic surgery by 2 ENT surgeons who deal with all the difficult tear duct cases (both paed's and adults) in Vic once she was just under 1.5 years. It has improved it, but hasn't fixed it, so we are going back for our 3rd eye surgery in November if she hasn't outgrown it by then (doubting it). This time we are giving up on her dud ducts and creating new ones for her.
I wouldn't hesitate to go the same route again, it is very minor surgery, it has very very minimal risks, and it has a great chance of fixing the problems. It is uncomfortable for them to always have weeping eyes, and my DD got constant infections. If it isn't fixed by 12 months then it probably won't resolve itself anyway, and you can't exactly send them to school like that. Also, our paed thinks that the constant low grade infections DD had through her eyes contributed (not caused) to her failure to thrive and real issue putting on weight based on the fact that her body had a greater basal metabolic rate due to all the infections she was fighting
P.S. If you do a search you can find other post i have written about us going through this
Last edited by Yael; March 20th, 2010 at 09:10 PM.
DS was born with blocked tear ducts. I think he was about 4mths when it stopped, but does get the weeping back when he has a cold and his nose is blocked. It seems to block his tubes and comes out his eyes.
We have seen a specialist as our GP was concerned at how many times he had the conjunctivitis drops and she had recorded each case as conjunctivitis, but I didnt believe he'd had it as many times his eyes were never red or itchy and it always happened when he had a runny blocked nose. Then just before going to the specialist he did get conjunctivitis and I could really see the difference and new that this wasn't the same as all the previous times. The specialist confirmed that his tubes were still very small and didn't see the need for an operation. They would widen as he got older.
I hear you on the looks and the "not so helpful advice"
Take care you are do everything you can and in the best interest of your LO. The remarks were the thing that got me down hence getting the drops every time as it would instantly clear up the green/yellow muck.
Thanks for all your replies, I like hearing about how you have dealt with the same problem and giving me ideas too.
She was just put on a course of antibiotics 2 weeks ago for her eye but it didn't clear it up. They have been sticky with a yellowish discharge since she was born, its only crusty when she wakes up, like excesss 'sleep'. I will take her back to the doc's on Monday incase it is still infected, hope not though. 15 weeks is a bit young for a second dose of antibiotics.
eeep the operation sounds horrible I know its probably not that bad but i think i will be quietly freaking out about the possibility or him needing to go under to get it fixed
Ubba82 - the MHN that i talked to about DS's eye told me that if i took him to a doctor for it they will most likely perscribe antibotics but in the long run it wont fix anything, she said its better off just waiting it out but obvisouly if the eye is getting to the point where they cant open it then go see the doctor. So far thankfully is hasnt been do bad, he has his days where it yellow and gunky then the next day it could be completely fine. Ill be glad when he either grows out of it or it gets fixed....cant be comfortable at all
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I know its probably not that bad but i think i will be quietly freaking out about the possibility or him needing to go under to get it fixed
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