Conjunctivitis, also called pinkeye or red-eye, occurs when an irritant enters the eye. BabyCenter.com suggests viruses to be the most common cause of pinkeye, but bacterium and allergens can also cause the inflammation. Treatment of pinkeye depends on the cause. Viral conjunctivitis must be left to run its course, but bacterial infections will be treated with an antibiotic and allergen induced pinkeye may be treated with an antihistamine. Both bacterial and viral pinkeye are extremely contagious and are transmitted through the infected eye secretions.
Redness
Not all pink coloration or redness of the eyeball or the eyelid is due to conjunctivitis. When the whites of one or both of the baby's eyes and the lower rim of one or both eyelids become red, BabyCenter.com suggests it is likely due to pinkeye.
Tearing
As the baby's eye tries to fight off the infecting agent or allergen, it may produce extra tears. This can be seen in the affected eye only or it can include the seemingly unaffected eye. The tears will run involuntarily, meaning they occur apart from when the baby cries.
Crusting
Pinkeye can cause eye discharge. This can appear as white or yellowish crusting around or over the eyelid area, especially when the baby first wakes. The thicker, yellow discharge that causes the eye to swell or stick together is due to a bacterial infection, explains BabyCenter.com. Common bacteria that cause pinkeye include staphylococcus, streptococcus and hemophilus. The Mayo Clinic suggests that crusting may also be the result of a blocked tear duct, a common issue in infants.
Cold Symptoms
When the underlying infectious agent is a virus, the baby may have typical cold-like symptoms, including coughing, sneezing and nasal discharge. A runny nose can also accompany pinkeye due to allergens.
Other Eye Symptoms
Pinkeye from allergies can cause some swelling and the baby may rub his eyes often due to itching. BabyCenter.com suggests allergies to be rare in infants under one year of age. Other irritants, such as dust or smoke, can also cause this type of reaction.
