Cleaning your baby’s eyes is an important part of his/her overall hygiene. Read on to find some tips on how to clean an infant’s eyes.
Cleaning Baby's Eyes
Eyes are said to be the mirror to the soul. In the case of babies, their eyes truly mirror what they are inside - innocent and pure. Their eyes gaze out in wonder at the colorful new world around them. These precious organs need proper care and good hygiene. It does not take much effort to clean your baby’s eyes. All that is needed is a regular cleaning routine and periodical clinical check of your baby’s eyes. Clinical experiences and research have shown that at 6 months, the average child has reached the critical development milestone, making it the age for the first medical assistance. Visual abilities are fully working by the age of six months. So at this age, no risk should be taken with regard to the baby’s eyes and it should be cleaned and examined at regular intervals. Read on for tips on cleaning your baby’s eyes.
How to Clean a Baby’s Eyes
- Wash your hands properly with soap before going to deal with the baby.
- Dip a clean, soft baby washcloth or cotton ball into warm water and squeeze it to remove any excess water.
- Baby’s skin is very sensitive, so avoid using soap or any other face wash on the face.
- Sing or talk to the baby while cleaning to distract his/her attention, so that you don’t face any difficulty while cleaning.
- Use the cloth or cotton ball to clean the corners of your baby’s eyes, wiping gently from the inside corner to the outside edge of each eye.
- Use a different clean, moist cotton ball for each eye to avoid potential cross-infection.
- Some babies don’t like their eyes to be cleaned, make sure the water is comfortably warm. Clean quickly and move it.
- If your child has an infection, it will clear up quickly with regular cleaning of eyes.
- While cleaning a sore or infected eyes, make sure that you use clean cotton balls and that you use them only once. Wipe from the inside to the outside. Use a separate cleaning ball, if you need to continue cleaning the same eye.
- Do not clean inside the eyelids; wipe the eyes only when it is closed. You may risk damaging the cornea if you try to clean inside the eyelid.
- Use warm and not hot water. Be firm while cleaning to ensure you dislodge any sticky discharge or pus.
- Ensure that your baby takes a well balanced diet. A diet rich in proteins, vitamins is very essential for a baby’s eyes.
- Regular medical examination by your pediatrician or an eye doctor is very important.
Note: Some babies are born with blocked tear ducts. It causes tears to form in eyes and roll down the cheeks. Blocked tear ducts should be evaluated by a pediatrician, as it may require treatment if any infection develops.
