PRESENTED BY :

POLECINA, KATHLEEN ANGELICA N.

OPHTHALMIA
NEONATORUM
 also known as Neonatal conjunctivitis
 form of bacterial conjunctivitis contracted
by newborns during delivery
 infected with either Neisseria gonorrhoeae
or Chlamydia trachomatis
 Eyedrops containing erythromycin are
typically used to prevent the condition
CAUSES
 INFECTIOUS
 The most common types of bacteria that cause infection
in the infant’s eye come from the mother’s birth canal,
and are passed to the infant during delivery. These
infections can include:
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)—The most common
bacteria passed to infants during delivery are due to
STDs from the mother’s birth canal. If untreated, many
of these infections can cause serious damage to the
infant’s eye. STDs that can cause eye damage include:
Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
The virus that causes oral and genital herpes
 Skin bacteria such as Staphylococcus
aureus
 Bacteria from the mother’s gastrointestinal
tract, such as Pseudomonas

 NON – INFECTIOUS
 Chemical irritants such as silver nitrate can
cause chemical conjunctivitis
 usually last in 2–4 days
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

 Pain and tenderness in eyeball

 Conjunctival discharge:purulent, mucoid
or mucopurulent depending on the
cause.
 Conjunctiva shows hyperaemia and
chemosis. Eye lids are usually swollen.
 Corneal involvement (rare) may occur in
herpes simplex opthalmia neonatorum
TREATMENT
Blocked Tear Duct
 ,the doctor may recommend warm
compresses and gentle massage to the area
to help unclog the duct.
Irritation
 Ophthalmia neonatorum due to irritation
usually resolves on its own in a few days. In
some cases, the irritation may be due to the
antibiotic given after delivery. Silver nitrate,
which was often used in the past to prevent
eye infection, can cause irritation in the baby’s
eye. Many hospitals now use other types of
antibiotics to avoid this irritation.
Bacteria
 Infants that have an eye infection due to
bacteria are given antibiotics. These
antibiotics may be given as topical drops or
ointments, orally, or as an injection. In
addition, the eye may be irrigated to
remove the discharge.