swollen eyes

Swollen Eyes in Babies

A swollen or puffy eyelid is one kind of eye inflammation that happens due to excess fluid trapped in the connective tissues around our eyes. In many cases, bloated eyes don’t trouble adults much. But for babies, it creates significant eye discomfort. As your kid can’t express his feelings, you have to understand the problem on his behalf. But how? This article will guide you on the ins and out regarding eye swellings in babies and how to deal with these kinds of eye issues.

Some Common Signs of Swollen Eyes among Babies:

Symptoms of bloated eyes differ from one to another. But the following signs are common in maximum cases.

  • Swollen eyelids or puffy under eyes, but not for eye injuryswollen eye in babies
  • No redness in the white part of the eye
  • Eye irritation
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Watering eyes results in excess tear production
  • Redness of eyelids
  • Dryness of eyelids
  • Little or severe itchiness, pain

Causes of the swollen eye in babies:

Finding your kid with puffy eyes is not always something severe. Sometimes it naturally goes away. But if your kid is crying and behaving differently than he usually does, those signs are the hints to take the necessary step. Check out the following causes and try to figure out why your child is suffering from swollen eyelids.baby swollen eyes

1. Insect bites

Mosquito bites are a common cause, as well as other insect bites. Especially bites on the upper face cause puffed eyes. Usually, this swollen lasts up to ten days. This type of swelling looks pink or reddish. Generally, it’s itchy but not painful.

2. Allergies

Allergic reaction is one of the common reasons for swelling eyes in infants and toddlers. For newborns, doctors suggest using drops to prevent any infection, leading to eye swelling for a few days.

3. Teething

Teething can lead to puffy eyes and swollen eyes as the eye and teeth nerves are interlinked. So when teething occurs, pay more attention to your baby. You may find that he has puffy bags under his eyes after teething.

4. Rubbingbaby swollen eyes problem

Babies often rub their eyes with dirty hands. The sudden entrance of dirt into the eyes usually results in Eye swelling.

5. Injuries

If your child gets any damage to the eye or near the eye area, swelling can occur. Significantly toddlers get injured during playing, and you may find your toddler woke up with swollen eyes the next morning. Sometimes they will not feel any pain even though the eyelids are incredibly puffy.

6. Infections on eyelids

Infection of the tear or eyelid can lead to eye swelling. As newborns’ tear duct is not yet matured enough, tears get blocked up and result in the swollen eyelid with irritation. Besides, the eyelid’s oil gland can get blocked and results in puffy eyelids.

Viral or bacterial infection can cause eye soreness as well. Generally, viral infections are reddish, and bacterial infections are yellowish.

The reasons we have included above are the common factors behind the eye swelling. Sometimes excessive crying can lead to puffy eyes. Making a baby stop crying is a compelling article to follow when you are not getting a clue why your baby is crying.

When to seek professionals’ help

Simple to mild swelling is not much harmful, and you may treat them from home. But if the type of your baby’s eye soreness resembles the following, immediately seek help from doctors.

1. Severe Swelling

If your baby’s affected eye becomes completely or almost shut down, this matter needs professional doctors.

2. Fever

Fever with swelling is an indication of eye infection. If your infant’s body temperature becomes high due to his puffy eyes, instantly take him to a pediatrician.

3. Unknown Cause

If the eye bulge stays one week or more than that, you should consult with a doctor. Several times negligence on these issues decreases the baby’s vision or creates vision loss.

4. Redness, Pain, and Itchiness

If the affected area becomes excessively red or causes severe pain and itchiness, don’t try to treat your children at home. Red or Pink eyes often head to conjunctivitis. So, consult the pediatrician and follow the medications and guidelines he provides.

5. If your child has periorbital-edema

Periorbital edema occurs due to eye infection or inflammation of eye surroundings. If your child’s eyes suffer from this skin condition, he needs urgent treatment.

Home Remedies:

Swelling and redness are expected in the first few days of a newborn. These types of eye problems resolve on their own. There are some techniques you may follow to keep those tiny eyes away from germs and dirt. The following solutions will help you to lower the baby’s suffering.

  • Always keep your baby’s eye area clean; use warm water and a washcloth. Try to clean his eye surroundings thoroughly clean after the daily bath, no matter if there is any discharge or not. Cleaning the eye area helps to reduce the chance of long-term eye swelling problems.
  • Keep your baby’s hand fresh and clean, especially his nails. Always try to keep their nails small. Longer nails may create scratches in your baby’s eye, which can lead to swelling.
  • In case of swelling with redness, you can try to cool down the red area with cold tea bags or cucumber slices, or cool washcloths.

Clean eyes catch less germ and cause less irritation. Be careful while cleaning eye discharges. If your baby passes several hours with a nanny, teach her the technique. Eyes are sensitive body parts. So, whenever you find something skeptical when babies’ eyes are swollen, don’t hesitate to consult with your baby’s doctor. Mindful parenting always lessens the struggle of both the mother and the infant.