Erythromycin ointment is used to prevent eye infection in newborns. It works by killing the bacteria that causes the infection. Blindness  in babies can result from one of these two sexually transmitted diseases , chlamydia or  gonorrhea. People often get both infections at the same time. These infections can progress rapidly in a newborn’s  eyes , damaging the clear part of the corneas which is the clear part of the pupils. They cause irreversible harm to the cornea.

Both men and women can  have chlamydia and gonorrhea without showing any symptoms. Most pregnant women are tested during pregnancy and treated if the results come back positive. However most women can pick up the infection after the results come back so it is safe to treat everyone.

Erythromycin ointment and STDS

 
Erythromycin ointment is about 100% effective in preventing gonorrhea eye infection in newborns. However chlamydia infections can surface as long as 2 weeks after delivery. Oral antibiotics provides an effective treatment when this happens.

Most pediatricians test newborns eyes for chlamydia before prescribing antibiotics because of the risk of this disease.  Other eye infections that may threaten a baby’s vision includes herpes simplex virus and staphylococcus aureus. Another reason why a newborn may develop eye discharge during the first week of life include a rare allergic reaction to erythromycin.

NOTE

Call your doctor when your newborn develops a thick ,  yellow discharge from one or both eyes. Make sure he sees the doctor as soon as possible.
 
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