Diseases that may be caused by excessive eye mucus in newborn babies

Speaking of eye boogers, I believe everyone is familiar with it. Eye mucus is a mixture of oil, dust or other impurities. Regarding the phenomenon of newborn babies having a lot of eye mucus, everyone may think that it is caused by getting angry or having dirty face, just like adults. However, what you don’t know is that although it is not uncommon for newborn babies to have a lot of eye mucus, it may cause many serious consequences for the baby. So, here are some common eye diseases that may cause newborn babies to have a lot of eye mucus.

Neonatal conjunctivitis

Excessive eye mucus in newborns is often a manifestation of conjunctivitis. When a baby is born from the mother's womb, the germs in the mother's birth canal can invade the child's eyes; poor hygiene habits and rubbing the baby's eyes with unclean hands can also cause conjunctivitis. Unlike in older children or adults, the pathogens that cause conjunctivitis in newborns are mostly bacteria rather than viruses.

The most common pathogens causing neonatal conjunctivitis are chlamydia and cocci.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis

Chlamydia is a microorganism that parasitizes within cells. It can cause conjunctivitis and pneumonia in infants and young children, usually caused by the father or mother. Infection can occur in utero (before delivery) or during delivery (during delivery) due to contamination of vaginal secretions. The incubation period is 5 to 13 days, which is later than the onset of bacterial conjunctivitis. The purulent discharge (i.e., eye mucus) will dissipate on its own after a few weeks or months, leaving no scars on the conjunctiva and without affecting the cornea.

After the baby is born, use 1% erythromycin eye drops 3 times a day for 2 to 3 days, which can basically prevent it.

Bacterial conjunctivitis

Bacterial conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by gonococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, and Escherichia coli. Gonorrhea infection can be transmitted from the fetus to the vagina, but most of the time it is caused by parents' (or medical staff's) contaminated hands or towels contacting the baby. The incubation period of bacterial infection is short, generally 12 to 48 hours. The onset is early, and it is more severe 2 to 3 days after birth. The eyelids are swollen, the conjunctiva is congested, and the secretions are purulent. In severe cases, it can make it difficult for the child to open his eyes. The inflammation can affect the cornea and even form ulcers and perforations.

Neonatal conjunctivitis should be treated promptly, otherwise the inflammation will spread into the eye and may even develop into chronic conjunctivitis which is more difficult to cure.

After reading the above introduction, do you still think that it is nothing to have a lot of eye mucus in newborn babies? The consequences of a newborn baby having a lot of eye mucus are incalculable, because sometimes some diseases are difficult to cure and will follow the baby for a lifetime, affecting the baby's life. Therefore, if you find that a newborn baby has a lot of eye mucus, you should still pay attention to it and treat it in time.