Possible causes include

1. Infection acquired while passing through the mother’s private part. Such infection is noticed within the first week of life.
2. Allergy: this is when a baby’s eyes react to something in the environment
3. Viral infection: the discharge here is usually thin and watery. It is common in babies with common cold
4. Bacterial infection: the discharge here is thick and yellow

Other signs of eye infection

1. Eye pain
2. Eye redness
3. Eyelid swelling
4. Eye itching

What you can do

1. Remove the discharge with wet warm clean cloth
2. Put warm wet clean cloth on the eyes regularly
3. Take the child away from smoke, dust, perfume etc.
4. Wash your hands regularly before and after attending to the baby because viral causes can spread easily
5. Visit a doctor for appropriate treatment
6. If prescribed an eye drop, it is important to apply it correctly. Here is how; pull down the lower eyelid, place a drop into the white area of the eye, put another drop on the inside of your baby’s eye. Remember to put the eye drop in the other eye even if it is not affected.