Blocked Tear Duct in Babies: Signs & Treatment | Parenting Hub
Constantly watery or sticky eye in a baby usually means a blocked tear duct. Most clear on their own by 12 months. How to massage it, when to see a doctor.
If one of your baby's eyes is always watery or has yellow crust, a blocked tear duct is the most likely reason — and the fix is usually time and gentle massage.
Why it happens
Tears normally drain through a tiny duct from the inner corner of the eye into the nose. In about 1 in 5 newborns, the duct is still partly closed at birth. Tears can't drain properly, so they pool on the eye, spill down the cheek and crust at the lashes.
It's almost always on just one side, and usually clears on its own by your baby's first birthday with no treatment needed.
What to do at home
Two simple things help most blocked ducts open:
- Tear-duct massage: with a clean little finger, apply gentle, downward pressure on the side of the nose (just below the inner corner of the eye) for 5–10 seconds, 3–4 times a day.
- Eye cleaning: wipe away crusts with cooled boiled water and a clean cotton ball, from inner to outer corner. Use a fresh ball each wipe.
Blocked duct vs eye infection
A simple blocked duct gives you a watery or sticky eye, but the white of the eye stays white and the eyelid isn't swollen. If the white turns pink or red, the eyelid is puffy, or the discharge is thick green/yellow and the eye looks irritated, that's more likely conjunctivitis — see your GP, especially in babies under 3 months.
When to seek help
- Red or pink eye whites (conjunctivitis)
- Swollen, hot or tender area on the side of the nose
- Thick green discharge in a baby under 3 months
- Baby is unsettled, feverish or won't open the eye
Common questions
Will a blocked tear duct need surgery?
Rarely. Around 90% clear on their own by 12 months. If it hasn't cleared by then, your GP can refer you to an eye specialist for a simple in-rooms procedure called a probing.
Can I use breast milk on a sticky eye?
Many parents use a drop of expressed breast milk on the lashes — it's safe and unlikely to harm, but it isn't a substitute for proper cleaning with cooled boiled water, and it won't open a blocked duct.