watering eyes

Jessica - posted on 09/04/2011

Thanks guys! I'll be mentioning it at his 4 month check, but I have already begun massaging the area indicated by Lisa. His eyes really aren't goopy, but every now and then there is a filmy substance on his lashes that I wipe away. I googled blocked tear ducts and it does sound like what he may have. I'll have the doc check it out.

Lisa - posted on 09/04/2011

Wow, those last two stories scared me a bit. I wonder if my son has epiphora. I feel like his tearing has been happening less for a while now because of the massaging - it's just worse during colds and after the pool... I hope he won't have to have surgery. It seems very invasive.

Emily - posted on 09/04/2011

My son had this as a baby and when he was six months old, he had blood coming out of his tear ducts. I panicked and called the doctor. Here he had an infection in the tear ducts. To help unblock the tear ducts, the nurse showed me how to massage the bridge of his nose in a circular motion. It really worked and he's been fine ever since.

Julie - posted on 09/04/2011

My now 6 year old daughter had this it is a condition called Epiphora - blockage of the tear ducts not allowing the tears to drain away. I noticed this immediately when she was born. She did used to get gookgy eyes with it as she got older & eye infections & they would be streaming down her face. I mentioned it at 6 wk check & was told to wait & see by time she got to 1 yr - did that then told 18mths, did that by then we got a referral & consultant agreed it was this condition. Explained she would have surgery to explore. turned out they were completely blocked, they unblocked & immediately could see difference. 6mths later at review her right eye still waters a bit but i would recommend the surgery especially while their young. I didn't want her growing up with this condition. Consultant says surgery is not worth it now for her right eye. But i would say the surgery is not as bad as people say and depends how you feel about your child remaining with this condition. good luck.

Lisa - posted on 09/03/2011

My son is 19 months old and still gets this occasionally - now, it's more often when he has a cold or after he's been in the pool. It's clogged tear ducts. We went to an opthalmologist and he said to keep massaging the area under the eye, touching on the side of his nose and going down and outward. He said to do this 4 times a day. I forget a lot, but I'm guessing it's working since I haven't noticed his tears so much lately. The doctor said if I don't do this, they'll have to do surgery and probe - I don't think that's worth it for tearing eyes, but massaging isn't a big deal. Although you do have to press a bit hard. My son doesn't love it. I sometimes do it when I'm nursing him since he's busy and right there. I do find it annoying when people always think he's crying and he's not.

Jessica - posted on 09/03/2011

Thank you guys! He has his 4 month check up in about a month so I'll mention it to the doc.

Nora - posted on 09/03/2011

I am thinking blocked tear ducts as well. DS always had watery eyes and sometimes they got goopy. His case took a while to clear up (he was 14 months and we were just about ready to schedule surgery) but that is not the norm. Just keep an eye on it. For us, if the watery eyes got buggery, it meant an ear infection was not far behind.

Jessica - posted on 08/31/2011

My newborn did this off and on for a few weeks when she was around 2 weeks old. It resolved on its own. I think Rose's was blocked tear ducts because she was shedding her skin non-stop for a long time. I did a warm compress on her eyes (as much as she'd let me) a few times a day and it seemed to help a little. If it isn't crusty I wouldn't worry, but I'd get it looked at, or at least ask the Dr at your next appointment, if it continues for a long time. Hopefully it will clear up soon! :)