This is an automatically translated article.
The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Hoang Thanh Nga - Ophthalmologist - Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Neonatal conjunctivitis is a common disease when a baby is just a few days old, with symptoms of swollen, red, watery eyelids with rusty eyes, difficulty opening the eyes, even being unable to open the eyes,... Conjunctivitis in infants, if not treated in time, will affect the child's vision, worse, it can affect the ability to see even blindness later.
1. Methods of treatment of conjunctivitis in infants
Previously, the treatment of conjunctivitis in infants was usually silver nitrate, but now there has been an alternative to antibiotic eye drops. Neonatal conjunctivitis caused by a bacterial infection can be treated, depending on the severity of the infection and the underlying cause.
Some mild conditions can be completely treated with antibiotics such as eye drops or eye ointment. Other antibiotics are given orally or intravenously. Treatment of severe neonatal conjunctivitis can be combined with topical drops, oral antibiotics, and intravenous injection.
Rinsing the infected eye with physiological saline solution will help remove the accumulated purulent eye rust and part of the causative agent. However, you need to pay attention when cleaning, applying medicine, and eye drops for babies need to be very careful and gentle, to avoid scratching the baby's skin and eye mucosa. Before cleaning or applying eye drops to your child, you need to wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
Neonatal conjunctivitis due to blocked tear ducts can be treated by gently massaging the area between the eyes and nose. If the disease still does not go away after the child turns 1 year old, you need to take the child to the medical facility to perform intervention by the conventional procedure.
Phương pháp massage vùng giữa mắt và mũi áp dụng cho trẻ bị viêm kết mạc do tắc tuyến lệ
2. Treatment of neonatal conjunctivitis according to the cause
For each group of viral or bacterial causes of conjunctivitis in infants, there are specific treatments for each type.
2.1. Chlamydia conjunctivitis For neonatal conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydia, specialists usually prescribe oral antibiotics such as erythromycin. This form of disease cannot be treated only locally because it cannot eliminate the bacteria in the child's nasopharynx, which can cause dangerous pneumonia. The therapeutic effect of systemic erythromycin is about 80%, so it is often combined with topical antibiotics such as erythromycin ointment.
2.2. Neonatal gonococcal conjunctivitis Neonatal conjunctivitis due to gonococcal bacteria, is often indicated in combination with instillation, aggressive medication, severe conditions should consider intravenous (IV) antibiotics. to treat disease. If not treated well, it can lead to corneal ulcers and even blindness.
Hiện nay có nhiều nguyên nhân khác nhau gây ra bệnh viêm kết mạc sơ sinh
2.3. Drug-induced conjunctivitis For drug-induced neonatal conjunctivitis, the first thing that needs to be treated is to stop using, instill, change the drug for the child. Usually, the child will recover to normal after 24 to 36 hours, combined with medical care.
2.4. Other Bacterial and Viral Conjunctivitis Bacterial conjunctivitis requires appropriate antibiotic therapy in the form of drops or ointments; topical antibiotics may be considered if secondary bacterial infections are present. cases of birth defects.
Viral conjunctivitis, the main treatment is to help reduce irritation with anti-inflammatory drugs, use lubricating drugs to protect the eyeball.
The treatment of conjunctivitis in newborns is mostly not too complicated, it is important for parents to detect it early and take the child to the doctor. If your baby has any symptoms that suggest conjunctivitis, take him or her immediately to an eye hospital or pediatric specialist for examination and treatment.
Khi phát hiện trẻ có triệu chứng viêm kết mạc, cha mẹ nên đưa trẻ đến gặp bác sĩ để được thăm khám kịp thời
3. Prevention of neonatal conjunctivitis
To prevent neonatal conjunctivitis, immediately after birth, the child should be applied 1% tetracycline ointment or eye drops with 0.4% chloramphenicol, 1% argyrol solution under the guidance of a specialist. Children with this disease are mainly due to an infection through the mother's vagina at birth (because the mother is suffering from a genital infection), so before becoming pregnant, the mother needs to have a gynecological examination and definitive treatment of inflammatory diseases. genitals to prevent diseases for babies after birth.
Vinmec International General Hospital with a system of modern facilities, medical equipment and a team of experts and doctors with many years of experience in neurological examination and treatment, patients can completely peace of mind for examination and treatment at the Hospital.
To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE.
