We all know how annoying it can be to have hair stuck in your eye. It gets itchy and even painful at times. Luckily for us, it’s usually pretty easy to take it out on your own. But, when there’s hair in a baby’s eye, it’s normal that you begin to worry.
After all, your little one isn’t able to help herself, and she might even begin rubbing her eye to try to get it out. Don’t worry, this shouldn’t be a reason for panic, and the most important thing you can do is stay calm before you start figuring out how to help your baby get rid of the discomfort.
No matter how fast you want to help your little one, you have to use a gentle approach. If you try to solve this issue through panic, your baby might feel the tension and become even more disturbed. On top of that, you have to be extra careful when dealing with your little one’s eyes, as they’re very sensitive.
Of course, if you believe this isn’t something you can deal with on your own, you can always seek medical attention. In case you’d like to help your baby right away, we’ll talk about the most effective method, as well as what are some things you should avoid. Let’s get right into it!
Hair in baby’s eye: how to safely remove it
Don’t worry, mama, it’s normal that your baby gets something in her eye from time to time. After all, you can’t protect her from everything, no matter how hard you try. Just like adults, babies can also get an eyelash or some other kind of hair stuck in their eye.
Most of the time, your little one’s eye will take care of it on its own. In fact, your baby has probably gone through this before without you even noticing. That’s because our tears serve as a natural lubricant that can easily flush any foreign object from our eyes. Sometimes, however, that doesn’t happen.
Your little one’s eye is very sensitive, which is why there’s a higher risk of infection and injury. Because of that, avoid using your fingers to try to get the hair out of her eye, no matter how tempting it might be.
Instead, when there’s hair in a baby’s eye, you need to calm yourself down and gather the tools you’ll need: a q-tip or a washcloth, and some water. Start off by washing your hands and preparing the lukewarm water you’ll use.
Next, take your baby to a well-lit area and gently separate her eyelids with your clean fingers. Using a wet q-tip or a washcloth, start gently wiping away the hair out of your little one’s eye. Don’t use any harsh movements or press too hard, gentle sweeping motions will be just enough.
If that doesn’t work, you can always try flushing your little one’s eye. Lean her head to the side, so that the liquid doesn’t run into her nose, and place a towel underneath. Using an eyedropper, slowly pour saline solution or water into her eye until the hair is out.
What not to do when there’s hair in your baby’s eye
If you’re unable to do this on your own because you’re scared you might injure your baby, you can ask someone else for help. If there’s no one around, taking her to the hospital so they can deal with it might be the best idea.
Don’t worry, no one will judge you for it, and you might save your baby from an infection or injury. However, if you’re confident you won’t have any issues doing it on your own, there are some things you should pay attention to.
No matter what might be in your baby’s eye, or how long the hair is, never use your fingers, fingernails, or any sharp objects to try to remove it. Your baby won’t stay still and there’s a high chance you might injure her while trying to get the hair out.
Try to stop your baby from rubbing her eye. Although this might be difficult because your little one will try to get rid of the discomfort, you have to try to keep her still. Rubbing can cause the hair to further irritate the eye or even scratch its delicate surface.
Never go near your baby’s eye with dirty towels, washcloths, or even your hands if you haven’t washed them previously. You’d put her in danger of an eye infection that could lead to some serious health issues.
If you decide to flush your baby’s eye, never do it with hot or even heated water. Your little one’s eyes and skin are sensitive, and hot water will likely lead to serious burns.
Some additional tips
Although this might not seem like rocket science to some people, a lot of parents get nervous when they notice hair in a baby’s eye. Because of that, they tend to panic and don’t think about how they can make this whole process easier, both for themselves and their baby.
Because your baby can pick up on your energy, it’s important to stay calm and collected. It will make your little one feel better, which, in turn, will allow you to approach her more gently. Here are some additional tips that might help you deal with this issue in the best way possible.
1. Make sure you have an extra towel
Besides the clean towel you’ll use to wipe the hair out of your baby’s eye, you should also prepare an extra one. Since your baby might get fussy with excess water running down her face, you can use a clean and dry towel to wipe it away.
That way, you’ll keep your baby calm. Remember, your little one doesn’t know what’s happening, so the water running down her nose might make her panic. Make sure you gently wipe your little one’s face and talk to her softly, so your voice soothes her.
2. Keep your baby still
When dealing with hair in a baby’s eye, keeping her still might be one of the most difficult things. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most important ones. Preventing her from moving around and being fussy will enable you to remove the hair without accidentally injuring your little one.
So, how do you do it? Although every baby is different, and you might know what makes your bundle of joy particularly calm, there are a few things you can try in this situation.
If your baby has a favorite blanket, gently wrapping her in it might help you calm her down, or at least prevent her from rubbing her eye. On top of that, your little one maybe might try to push your arm away, and this will prevent her from doing so.
If there are two of you, you can ask your partner to get your baby’s favorite toy and distract her with it while you try to wipe or flush the hair out of her eye. You can also try playing her favorite song or some kind of lullaby.
Although your baby shouldn’t watch TV at such a young age, you can try playing something just for a few moments to distract her from what’s going on. You need all the necessary help you can get to calm your fussy baby, as her sudden movements might cause you to poke her or injure her eye.
3. You can try flushing with breast milk
Breast milk is truly like magic, and its power is undeniable. If you ask your mom or grandmom for advice, flushing your baby’s eye with breast milk will probably be the first thing they tell you to do. And it’s not just another folk story.
Your breast milk is rich in vitamins, antibodies, and minerals, which is why it can do incredible things for your baby’s body. In fact, some mothers use it to treat infections, rashes, eczema, and more! Since it’s more than safe to use it around your baby’s infected eye, it’s also safe to try to flush hair out of it.
Simply take some breast milk, either out of a bottle with an eyedropper or directly out of your breasts, and gently flush your baby’s eye. There’s a chance you won’t even have to wipe it additionally, as the milk is likely to push the hair out on its own.
4. Don’t hesitate to get some help
Whether it’s asking someone around you or taking your baby to the hospital – it’s okay to ask for help when you need it. As a mother, you’re sensitive when it comes to your baby and her well-being, which is why you might have a hard time staying calm out of the fear you’ll hurt your little one.
Your nearest emergency room will welcome you with open arms and they’ll help your baby in no time. No matter how insignificant this issue might seem to some people, we know how worried you must be, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
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