Crust Eyes

I had a similar situation not too long ago ... the whites of my 20 month old daughter's eyes were pink and the dr's office said that if any kind of discharge started coming out of her eyes that it could be an infection from another part of the body manifesting out of the eyes; typically an ear infection. This is something you should probably call the doc about. Good luck!

Sounds like an infection of the eye lids. I have that right now and my eye doctor recommended using a hot washcloth on them for about 2 min (2x per day for 2 weeks), then scrubbing the lids with baby tearless shampoo, and then using fake tears drops. After the 2 weeks, do it only once a day and then as needed.

Mine is much milder so you should probably get in to see if you need an antibiotic as well.

Hello K., Sounds like pink eye to me. It is very contagious. Get him into the doc. Good luck and happy holidays.

It's probably a cold in his eye or his tear duct is plugged. Is he more puffy near the ducts in the corner of his eye? Try putting warm compresses on them to get the stuff off and help release anything that could be plugging the duct. Calling the doctor would be good, he or she could give you drops to help clear it up faster. Good luck!

Hey K.,
Could be a blocked tear duct, could be pink eye, could be an ear infection in addition-I would see the doc today.
Just dont give him any over the counter decongestants. They are not advised for children under age six. Too many bad things are happening to kids who recieve those meds.
Tylenol and/or Motrin work well for the discomfort.
For congestion (if that is a concern), I would try a vaporizer in the bedroom for naps and bedtime, sitting in the bathroon with the shower running and door closed for steam, and a good'ol johnson's and johnson's vapor bath. They sell that soap-Johnson's vapor bath at any CVS, Target, and I think Meijer.
Also, the advice on massaging the inner corner of the eye gently, and applying a warm compress is important. It helps loosen up all the "gunk" that is in the tear duct. Good luck and I hope your little guy feels better soon!

COuld be a blocked tear duct, or pink eye can be caused by a cold. Wipe the eyes with a warm washcloth from the inside out. Wash your hands before and after. Pink eye is exteamly contagious. Go see you Dr. asap.

I would take him in it sounds like pink eye. Pink eye will give you cold like symptoms too. Or he could have both. Is he tring to itch them. I would call and inquire or take him to see the dr.

It might be pink eye.. NOT fun. I had it last year.

Sounds like pink eye.....VERY contagious. Probably need some drops from the dr...

Hi K.,
My 18 month old had the same thing about 3 weeks ago. I took him in just to make sure and I found out he had a double ear infection which caused him to get the infection in his eye, everything is connected. He had no fever and no symptoms for the ear infection, so I had no idea he was sick until his eye got goopy. I would take the little darling in to make sure. Good Luck.
P.S. He was on eye drops for 10 days and antibiotics for 3 weeks.

My son has the same thing. We went to the doctor for a follow up for an ear infection and I had him check it out. It was not pink eye, but he told me to keep watch because it can easily turn to pink eye.

My son is all plugged up with mucas and this usually happens when it is this bad.

BUT you will always want to check with your doctor since pink eye is highly contagious.

Hi My twins had the same thing last winter. I took them to the doctor who told me it's a form of pink eye. (same thing the whites of eyes looked fine) He said it has to do with their colds. Also didn't treat it. It cleared on it's own but did seem to take some time. He suggested that I clean their eyes often with a clean warm wash cloth. Hope this helps.

is the crusty stuff greenish/yellow?? if it is it might be an infection. i just got my son eye drops from the doctor today. i have to do it 4 times a day. by tomorrow they will look much better but have to do it for 7 days. good luck

Sounds like a blocked tear duct. Use warm wet washcloths to wipe away the crusties.

sounds like some kind of infection, I would call the doctor.

Could be pink eye. They can get it as easy as wiping their nose and then their eye........

This used to happen with my daughter - often when she'd get a cold, the cold would travel into her sinuses and turn into a sinus infection. A couple times I thought it was pink eye but it was really just a sinus infection. It was treated the same way (with drops) but it wasn't contageous like pink eye. I suggest taking your baby to the doctor if it doesn't get better in the next day or so.

Sounds like pink eye. My kids have had it several times and they always woke up with really crusty eyes.

If the whites of his eyes aren't red, it isn't pink eye. He probably just has a cold in his eye. Just keep it clean with a warm washcloth. Anyway most pink eye goes away by itself because it is viral from the virus they had in the first place. Antibiotics will only help if it's from bacteria. I saw a whole segment on this and tested it by not getting the drops anymore, and sure enough it goes away in a few days by itself. I have 3 kids and they get those symptoms a couple times a year. It will go away on its own. Take care.

Just because the whites of his eyes are not red or pink does not mean it's not pink eye. Pink eye was explained to me as the crusting discharge from the tear ducts. Keep a wet and warm washcloth handy and try to keep his eyes clear if at all possible. Don't let anyone else handle the washcloth and wash your hands frequently. I would get him to the doctor asap to verify. It could be just backed up congestion from his sinuses but it's better to be sure. Good luck - S.

K.; usually crusty eyes are due the sinus' usually its a sinus infection with the cold, the cold affects the sinus' sometimes it will close their little eyes shut, just put a warm rag on it and wipe it off gently , it will go away , if she dont get over cold soon, i would go to a dr, just to make sure, if needed, any way , enjoy life and have fun, D. s

My daughter had really puffy eyes w/discharge, along w/having a cold (well actually strep throat). Anyways, the doctor said that she had pink eye, and she could have gotten it from something simple as wiping her nose w/her hand and then touching her eye. It may not be but I thought i would throw that out there. As I am sure you know, pink eye is extremely contagious...could be why one had and gave it to the other?!? Good luck!

If you don't think its pink eye and the whites of the eyes are not affected then it is probibly just excess drainage from the cold. Your tear ducts are also connected to your sinus cavity and things can back up into it if there is enough of it.

I use my one finger with a tissue over it and rub in the corner of the eye (like you would on yourself to get a sleepy bug out) Do that several times a day to help loosen up and work out the stuff that is in there.
I also usually give the kiddos a dose of decongestant (If they are coughing) when they sleep and prop them up with pillows so the excess snot drains into the stomach and not the back of the throat.
If at any time you doubt its just a cold then going to a dr never hurt...

Hi K., my son had the same thing when he had a lot of drainage from a cold which drained a little into his ears and he got an ear infection and then there was so much goop it was coming out of his eyes too! I'd take him to the Dr. just to have his ears and sinus checked out too. They're all connected and when they are that little the tubes are also little and everything doesn't drain as well as an adult.

If the white aren't affected, I'm GUESSING it's not pink eye, but I'm not a doctor! I would just do warm compresses, but use a paper towel and throw it out each time, then you aren't spreading it from eye to eye. Also, if you take your pinky finger and rub in a circular motion between their eye and nose, that will help it if it's plugged. Try and do that a couple times an hour. I used to do it for a few seconds every 10 minutes with my son...but he had this for almost 6 months. It really helped and I found the more I did it, the less gunk would produce. I don't know if you know this or not, but their eyes are connect to their nose throw a drainage "pipe" and when a child has a cold it will often spread to the eyes, mostely because they can't cough or blow stuff out. I would also run a humidifier in the child's room, to try and make is moist to help relieve some pressure. Good luck and if it gets worse, I would go to the doctor, they do have eye drops for little babies.