Switch from Antibiotic Eye Drops to Instillation of Mother's Milk Drops as a Treatment of Infant Epiphora

Abstract

In a paediatric practice, the management of patients with signs and symptoms of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLO) was switched from topical antibiotic to topical mother's milk (MM) -based regimens. The conservative management of this condition includes frequent cleansing of the lids, digital lacrimal sac massage, and application of topical antibiotic drops when there is a mucopurulent discharge. The method for managing CNLO has evolved in our office of paediatrics during the past 7 years. This change was initiated by some mothers who have applied traditional therapy: MM eye drops. This evolution has been accompanied by a number of articles from the mid 1990s into the 2000s on safety of MM eye drops in case of neonatal conjunctivitis, and on the anti-inflammatory characteristics and antibacterial activity of topical MM.