Infant Blocked Tear Duct Massage Official

However, there is one simple, gentle technique that can help clear the blockage faster and keep your baby comfortable: What is actually happening? Tears normally drain from the eye down a tiny tube (the nasolacrimal duct) into the nose. In newborns, the bottom of that tube sometimes has a thin membrane that hasn't opened yet. Think of it like a tiny straw with a cap on the end.

Look at the inner corner of your baby’s eye (the side closest to the nose). Feel for the small, hard bony ridge of the nose. Right next to that bone, just inside the eye socket, is a tiny sac. That’s your target.

If you’ve noticed a constant watery eye, some yellowish goop in the corner of your newborn’s eye, or lashes that seem glued shut after a nap, you are likely dealing with a very common issue: a blocked tear duct (dacryostenosis). infant blocked tear duct massage

The tears have nowhere to go, so they spill out onto the cheek, and the stagnant moisture breeds bacteria, causing that white, yellow, or green discharge. Your pediatrician might call it "Crigler massage." You can call it "the boogie sweep." The goal is to use fluid pressure (the tears you push down) to pop open that little membrane.

While maintaining that gentle pressure, roll or sweep your finger straight down the side of the nose toward the nostril. However, there is one simple, gentle technique that

Press down. You aren't trying to poke the eye. You are trying to compress the tear sac against the bone. It should feel like pressing a button.

Goopy Eyes No More: A Parent’s Guide to Infant Blocked Tear Duct Massage Think of it like a tiny straw with a cap on the end

Place your clean pinky finger (or thumb) in the corner of the eye, right against the side of the nose.