Dear Reader,

Eye infections used to be a major cause of blindness in children, and were often due to the same bacteria that cause gonorrhea or chlamydia in women. When a woman is infected with these bacteria (about 20 percent of women with gonorrhea and 70 percent of women with chlamydia don't have identifiable symptoms), they're present in her vagina. As a baby travels through the birth canal, s/he can pick up bacteria present in the mother's vaginal secretions or fluids.

Since eye infections with gonorrhea or chlamydia used to be such a common cause of blindness, many states now require antibiotic eye drops or ointments for newborns. Silver nitrate eye drops traditionally have been used to prevent eye infections. However, because these drops often cause the baby's eyes to be irritated, many hospitals now use erythromycin ointment instead.

Because parents often feel upset that the drops or ointment make their new baby's vision blurry, they often request that the administration of drops or ointment be delayed until the parents and baby have had some time to gaze at each other and bond in the hours just after birth.

Alice

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