How do I apply eye ointment?

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Children's Health

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

Wed, Mar 02 2011, 5:18 pm

My 7 month old has an eye infection and dr gave me antibiotic ointment to put in each eye. Any tips on how to hold him down, pull open his lower eyelid and get the stiff thin ointment in the right spot? Every time I try it gets all over his upper eye lashes- the wrong place. I dont have another pair of hands to help me.
Also is it possible we got thrush from this infection?

skcomputer

Wed, Mar 02 2011, 7:11 pm

Here's how I used to do it. Wash your hands well. Lie the baby down like on the changing table. Put some of the ointment on one finger (in a ball, not rubbed in flat on your finger). With the other hand, press the lower lid at the spot at the bottom of where the eyeball protrudes. Try it on the baby when you're not doing the ointment and you'll see a pocket open up on the lower lid. Then catch the ointment ball into the pocket and let go. By pressing where you are, the lower lid will be away from the upper lid. When you're done, wash your hands again well.

Thrush is a yeast infection which can occur from antibiotics. However, if you haven't been really successful with the ointment yet, it would be hard to imagine you've gotten enough antibiotics into your baby's system to kill enough bacteria to allow the yeast to overgrow.

amother

Wed, Mar 02 2011, 7:20 pm

are you sure you need to put the ointment IN the eye? cuz the eye ointments that I usually get are not to put IN the eye.
the way I do it is, soap hands, put little bit of cream on the tip of pointy finger, dab it into the thumb finger of the same hand, then give a swipe the cream from 1 end of eye to the other with 1 finger & then do the same with the other finger on the other eye (if needed). dont use the same finger over diff eye, or go over the eye more than once cuz u dont want the infection to spread.

good luck

Thu, Mar 03 2011, 2:47 pm

Thanks for the advice. I was looking forward to trying it, but in actuallity it didnt seem to work. He squeezes his top eye lid shut while squirming and batting his arms. On one try he knocked the ointment off my finger into his mouth. Maybe I'll try getting a friend to hold him down. Any other tips would be appreciated.

skcomputer

Fri, Mar 04 2011, 10:37 am

Do you think liquid drops will be easier? If you can put them into the inner corner of the eye when it is closed, then when your baby opens his eyes, the drops get blinked in. I always found the ointment easier, but maybe drops will be easier for you. Also, if you lean over the baby so you use one shoulder to block one arm and your arm to deflect the other, maybe you can get it to work without actually holding him down.

Page 1 of 1