Eye boogers...

Ian has developed a case of eye boogie-itis! We had noticed on Sunday that the discharge which was an occasional thing was more abundant. It seemed that every time we looked at him, more white or yellow discharge was building up in his eye. I wasn't too concerned until it started getting crusty, and even more copious.

I did a lot of research online, and determined it was either blocked tear ducts or conjunctivitis (GASP!!!). I immediately washed my hands and face with hot water. My eyes were itching! I was already telling Matt that I needed to find my glasses, since you can't wear contacts when you have pinkeye.

(Insert screeching brakes sound here.)

As Matt put it, "Oorah nurse's hotline!" The description of his symptoms was as follows:
-No fever
-Lots of white discharge in his left eye only, appears yellowish when it builds-up or is wiped away
-Whites of his eyes are NOT red or bloodshot in any way
-Area around eye is slightly puffy
-Sometimes he sounds slightly congested
-When discharge is not present, his eye is still extremely watery
-Doesn't seem to bother him!

The nurse said that babies this young don't get pinkeye! Hallelujah! She informed me that it was a blocked tear duct, quite a common ailment among infants. Instructions are to keep wiping the discharge away with a warm wascloth, and massage the corner of his eye to help unblock the duct. Additionally, if his nose is stuffy, we need to loosen the congestion with saline and a bulb syringe. The condition is nothing to worry about, and should resolve itself completely within his first year of life.

The short and sweet version of the condition...either Ian has a narrow tear duct that easily becomes blocked with "stuff" (and as he grows, this will self-resolve), OR there is a membrane that did not fully dissolve partially covering the duct (sometimes this requires "probing" to open the duct).

Already, with the prescribed home treatment, the eye boogers have greatly diminished! Ian is so good for the "treatment" too. Such a good baby!

Oh, and oddly enough, my eye isn't itching anymore. :)