Eyes give an insight to a baby’s feelings and are an important mode to express the mighty world of his / her needs. But the beautiful asset can sometimes be ruined on account of a little carelessness either on the doctor’s or the mother’s side with ophthalmia neonatorum. The condition is the most common form of infection that pops up as a result of a nonchalant behaviour at the time of birth. It is a bilateral inflammation of the conjunctiva (the outer shiny layer of the eye ball) seen in infants of less than 30 days of age and is responsible for about 50 % of the cases of blindness in children. Its existence is to be suspected in cases where there is frequent watering from eyes in the first week of life as till then no tears are formed and any discharge should be mulled in thoroughly.

In many developed parts of the world the condition is restricted massively with appropriate and timely intervention of genital infections though developing countries are still struggling to achieve the same.

What is the cause?

The infection may set in due the antibiotics administered as prophylaxis to control disorder namely chemical conjunctivitis. Gonococci or bacterial infections such as staphylococci, streptococci, Chlamydia may also trigger the baleful process.

How it occurs?

The condition may intrude in three ways i.e. before the child birth, during delivery or after the birth.

• Before birth: this kind of infection is rarely encountered with a protective amniotic sac all around the infant to protect during this phase. In case it surfaces it is either due to infected liquor within the sac or disrupted membrane exposing the content to infection?
• During delivery: the most frequent mode to spread on the infection. Here infective organism may invade via an infected birth canal particularly when the foetus has a face presentation or is manually pulled with the help of forceps.
• After the birth: ophthalmia may trigger due to infected surroundings in form of infected water bath, soiled clothes or contaminated handling.

How will the infant present?

Since the infant is a small one to convey the message, the diagnosis will be entirely based on observations and lab investigations. Simply the pain an infant is experiencing can be seen in the form of redness and sensitivity to touch. There will be constant discharges with swollen lids.     

What to do?

Here like any other condition prevention is better than cure and every parent should take necessary precautions to rule out all possibilities. Before the birth under strict professional guidance all genital infections should be treated and minimised.

During delivery hygienic surroundings are a must, also wiping off the infant closed lid with clean cloth and dried adequately.

Further, if the infection has come to existence then the conventional mode of treatment is to be adopted with essential precautions.

If untreated?

If unchecked, the infection may progress to develop ulcers that rapidly perforate to evade other areas of eye and finally lead to blindness.

So, be a little cautious to gift your new born an alluring beginning free of any disease or dysfunction.