What is sticky eye?

Blocked tear ducts in babies are also known as 'sticky eye'.

Tears normally drain away through small openings in the inside corner of your eyelids. They enter the nose through the nasolacrimal ducts (tear ducts).

Sometimes, the tear ducts can become blocked. This can cause watery or sticky eyes.

What are the symptoms of sticky eye?

If your baby has sticky eye, their eye or eyes will water a lot. They may have tears running down their cheeks. Sometimes there may be swelling or a sticky discharge.

Sticky eye is not an infection and should not cause your child pain.

What causes sticky eye?

The most common cause of a sticky eye is a membrane covering the tear duct. This membrane usually breaks as your baby's face grows.

As many as 1 in 5 babies has blocked tear ducts. This may be unilateral (one eye only) or bilateral (both eyes).

This means their tears can't drain away and their eyes are wet all the time.

When should I see my doctor?

You should always see your doctor if you think your baby has an eye infection.

You should also see your doctor if:

• your baby seems sensitive to light
• they have large amounts of eye discharge
• they are constantly squeezing their eyes shut
• the side of their nose seems swollen, red, and painful
• the white part of their eye is red or blood shot
• the tear duct is still blocked by the time they reach 1 year of age

How is sticky eye treated?

In 9 out of 10 babies, sticky eye clears up by the time your baby is 1 year old.

Some babies will need surgery if the blocked tear duct doesn't improve. This is done as day surgery with a general anaesthetic. Your doctor may treat a blocked tear duct in the following ways:

• Open the tear duct and flush it out.
• Use a silicone tube to keep the duct open. This will be left for a few months to make sure that the blockage doesn't reoccur.
• Make a new opening between the tear sac and the bone in the nose (dacryocystorhinostomy).

How do I manage my baby's sticky eye at home?

It's recommended that you clean your baby's eyelids and massage their tear duct. This can stop infections and encourages the tear duct to open.

Cleaning your baby's eye

Your baby's eye can be cleaned 1 to 2 times each day using a saline (salt) solution. You can make saline solution by dissolving 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup (250ml) of boiling water and letting it cool.

Make sure that the solution has cooled to room temperature before using.

Wash the affected eye or eyes following the directions below:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly.
2. Pat the eye dry with a clean (or disposable) towel.
3. Soak a disposable cotton swab in water or the salt solution.
4. Gently wipe each eye from the inside corner to the outside corner.
5. Do not touch the eye itself or clean inside the eyelid. This may damage the eye.
6. Use a new cotton swab for each eye.
7. Wash your hands again.

There is also evidence to support using breastmilk to clean your baby's eye. This will not cause any harm to your baby.

Tear duct massage

This may help to clear any blockages:

1. Wash your hands and make sure that your fingernails are short.
2. With the tip of your first finger, use moderate pressure on the side of your baby's nose, where the upper and lower lids join.
3. Slide your finger down their nose for a short distance (1cm to 2cm) whilst keeping up the pressure.
4. Do this 5 times, 2 times each day.

Complications of sticky eye

If the tear duct becomes infected you will see a firm, red, painful lump at the side of the nose. This is called dacryocystitis. There may also be more yellow-green discharge.

If this happens, you should call your doctor or ophthalmologist urgently. Your baby will need antibiotics to treat the infection.

Resources and support

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.