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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Infant Has Cold With Runny Nose, Eyelashes Stuck To Each Other, Watery Discharge. Is It Bacterial?

My 2.5 year old has a cold with runny nose and cough . He woke up this morning with one watery eye. It is not red and the discharge is clear. A few eyelashes on top were stuck to each other when he woke but eyes were not crusted closed. Being a Saturday my only option is urgent care and having viral pink eye twice incorrectly diagnosed there as bacterial I am hesitant to use there services again. However, I obviously want to treat with antibiotics if indicated.
Wed, 20 Feb 2013
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Ophthalmologist,  's  Response
The problem you describe is fairly common with young children suffering from a common cold. His watery eye is due to retrograde infection from the nose travelling up the nasolacrimal duct that connects the eye and nose. use warm compresses ( a washcloth soaked in warm not too hot water and squeezed) along the part on the side of the nose just below the inner angle of the eye where the duct exists. approximately 10 mins 4 times a day. you may also gently massage the area moving in a downward direction from the inner eye angle down the side of the nose using your little finger. this helps drain the fluid back into the nose. though this sounds viral ,to prevent a superadded bacterial infection try CHLORAMPHENICOL eye ointment also available in applicaps in the affected eye just at bed time. this may be continued for around 5 days. The watering usually resolves along with the runny nose.
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Infant Has Cold With Runny Nose, Eyelashes Stuck To Each Other, Watery Discharge. Is It Bacterial?

The problem you describe is fairly common with young children suffering from a common cold. His watery eye is due to retrograde infection from the nose travelling up the nasolacrimal duct that connects the eye and nose. use warm compresses ( a washcloth soaked in warm not too hot water and squeezed) along the part on the side of the nose just below the inner angle of the eye where the duct exists. approximately 10 mins 4 times a day. you may also gently massage the area moving in a downward direction from the inner eye angle down the side of the nose using your little finger. this helps drain the fluid back into the nose. though this sounds viral ,to prevent a superadded bacterial infection try CHLORAMPHENICOL eye ointment also available in applicaps in the affected eye just at bed time. this may be continued for around 5 days. The watering usually resolves along with the runny nose.