“Eye” Love My Baby: Series On Infant Eye Care
Part 2: What’s this bump in my baby’s eye? A closer look at sties and chalazia in infants

League City, Texas – Similar to adults and young children, infants can just as easily contract a variety of eye related infections. The doctors at The Eye Clinic of Texas continue their three part series on infant related eye conditions that parents should know about in order to protect their babies’ vision. Part two covers sties and chalazia.

When bacteria infect one of the tiny oil glands on a baby’s eyelid at the base of the eyelash, it can lead to a tender, red, pus filled bump or boil called a sty. There also may be a yellow or white discharge along with crusting the lid. While they cannot be prevented, sties are generally not dangerous. However, they can be irritating to a baby and should be treated to prevent a more serious infection.

“Most sties can be treated by applying a clean, warm, wet washcloth to the baby’s infected eye for five minutes and repeating this process three to four times throughout the day,” said Dr. Allan Fradkin, ophthalmologist at The Eye Clinic of Texas, who specializes in pediatric eye care. “The heat draws the pus to the front of the sty, allowing it to break open and drain. Once the sty drains, wash the eyelid with a clean cloth or cotton ball, along with warm water, to keep the infected pus from spreading. Swelling should dissipate within seven days.”

Fradkin advises parents to never try and squeeze or pop a sty, for it will worsen the infection and cause great pain to the baby. If the infection is in both eyes, use separate washcloths for each eye and wash them immediately to prevent spreading the infection to other members of the family.

“Parents should call the doctor if the sty hasn’t drained within a week, if there are multiple sties or if a new one appears as soon as the other clears,” Fradkin said. “In that case, antibiotic ointment can be prescribed or the ophthalmologist may need to open and drain the sty manually.”

Sometimes confused with a sty is a chalazion, a small, pea sized swollen cyst on an upper or lower eyelid caused by chronic inflammation of an oil gland. It may start out as a bump along the rim of the eyelid due to bacteria build up in the oil gland’s opening, or form into an actual cyst when oily secretions back up and block the gland.

“A chalazion is more of a cosmetic annoyance than a painful problem, nor will it jeopardize the health of the eye or affect vision,” Fradkin said. “About 25 to 50 percent of chalazia go away on their own after one to three months. Others require medical treatment.”

If detected in its early stage, an ophthalmologist will recommend parents try to drain the chalazion by applying warm compresses. Similar to treating a sty, the compress should be held to the area for 10 to 15 minutes, several times a day, until the cyst goes away. Gentle massage of the tear duct can also unblock the clogged gland. Finally, the doctor may prescribe ointment to smear on the edge of the lid.

If the chalazion will not go away, the doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics, which usually stops the inflammation and causes the cyst to go away within seven to 14 days. Surgical removal is another option if the antibiotics fail.

“The bad news is that once a child has had one chalazion, he is more than likely going to develop another one,” Fradkin said. “A daily regimen of lid hygiene, which involves scrubbing the lids with a variety of products, can reduce bacteria count and eliminate dead skin so the oil glands stay open and uninfected. An ophthalmologist will give parents specific instructions on how and how often to do a lid scrub.”

Founded in 1972, The Eye Clinic of Texas (www.ecot.com) offers the latest in laser vision correction surgery, as well as a full range of other eye needs at three locations throughout Galveston County: League City, Galveston and Texas City. For more information on infant eye conditions, call (800) 423-3937.

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