Let’s face it; parenting is hard. Parents of newborns are notoriously sleep-deprived and delirious at best.
They are trying to figure out how to take care of a tiny human who can’t do anything for itself.
And with such a small creature, mistakes can happen, say, accidentally poking your baby in the eye.
Even the most seasoned moms and dads haven’t been immunized against pokes to the eye.
Have you ever accidentally poked baby in eye? Majorities have, and the guilty feeling never goes away quickly.
You might wonder if you could have done anything different to prevent it.
Despite getting other tips such as changing napkins and holding the baby, no one told you how to avoid poking the younger one.
Well, this article comes with helpful parenting tips like these alternative ways to protect the eyes of the younger one and what to do when such incidents happen.
What to Do If You Accidentally Poke Your Baby in The Eye
If your finger slips and hits their eye, it’s important to ensure that the baby is OK.
The first step is to see if there are any signs of a serious injury or red eye. If not, then there’s probably no real cause for concern.
If it looks like there could be a more serious injury, call your pediatrician immediately.
It’s also a good idea to call them if it seems like your baby has an eye infection, even if you’re not sure whether the poke caused it.
It may have been caused by something else, maybe even another baby at daycare. Either way, you want to get them checked out.
1. How to Tell if a Child’s eye is Truly Injured After Poking
Suppose you accidentally poked your baby in eye, whether it is with a finger, a pencil, or another object.
In that case, it can cause significant damage to the delicate structures that make up the front of your eye.
Blinking will clear away dust or other debris in almost all cases, and the eyes will be fine.
However, sometimes the tip of an object can penetrate deeper into the front of your eye and cause damage.
This is especially true if there has been some sort of blunt trauma to the eye.
First, look for any foreign object that could be stuck in the eye. This may be easy, such as a piece of paper, sand, or harder.
You should never try to remove a foreign object from an eye, especially if it is stuck under the eyelid.
Second, check for bleeding inside the eye. A real injury to the eye often results in bleeding in the white part of the eye or pupil.
Third, check for cuts on the eyelids or eyeball itself. These injuries can cause pain and lead to corneal abrasions.
2. How to Prevent Poking the Baby’s Eyes
Here are some ways you can help prevent your child from poking his eyes:
- Keep objects out of reach. This includes sharp objects such as pencils, scissors, toothpicks, and any other sharp-edged toys or tools.
- Pay attention when your baby is crawling around or exploring her environment. Children learn by touching and exploring things around them. Sometimes they may touch things that are not safe for them to touch or play with.
When you’re out with your baby, always make sure that there are no objects within reach that could be harmful to him if he touches it or puts it in his mouth.
- Keep your baby’s fingernails short at all times. The longer a baby’s fingernails are, the more likely it will be for him to poke his own eyes. Keep your baby’s nails trimmed down as much as possible so that he won’t be able to reach his own face.
- If possible, keep your baby from sleeping on his tummy because it forces a baby to turn his head to one side to breathe properly. A baby may accidentally scratch himself with his hands or move around enough to hit himself in the face with a hand or foot when this happens. If you can keep your child on his back while he sleeps, then you will be able to minimize some of these risks.
3. Are Babies’ Eyes Sensitive?
Babies’ eyes are sensitive to objects and poking.
Babies’ eyes are sensitive to objects and poking. They can see at a close distance, and their ability to focus is amazing.
When babies are about two months old, they can already recognize faces, object shapes, and colors.
While you might think your baby is staring intently at a blank wall, he may be watching the dust motes dance in the light streaming through the window.
As babies grow older, they begin to notice things that happen from one moment to the next.
At four months old, your baby will be able to follow objects with his eyes and recognize familiar faces.
Soon after, your little one will reach for a toy that has fallen out of sight or attempt to grab something just beyond his grasp.
During this time, you can notice that you accidentally poked baby in eye.
However, it takes babies’ eyes a while before they can see things clearly further than eight inches away.
Learn more from another post: How To Tell If Your Baby Is Blind
Summary
Those who have been poked in the eye at least once can understand how painful it feels.
Not surprisingly, your reflexive response is to remove whatever is in your eye as soon as possible, so you can get back to your normal activities.
Therefore it is critical to understand what an accidentally poked baby in eye feels and give them the necessary support to make them comfortable once more.
Hopefully, some of the above ideas will help you if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.
This is a serious reminder of the importance of using proper baby care instructions and how seemingly harmless household objects can be extremely dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if you accidentally poked baby in the eye?
If you poke a baby in the eye, it will cry, and then there is a chance that the baby may develop an infection.
If the poke was strong and hurt the cornea, eye drops are necessary to avoid inflammation.
Can a scratched eye heal on its own?
You might be surprised to learn that, yes, a scratched eye can heal on its own.
The cornea is the part of the eye that takes the brunt of an injury, but it has a very good blood supply and excellent ability to heal.
Can babies poke their own eyes?
Yes, babies can poke their own eyes! They can also poke each other’s eyes or your eyes.
If a baby pokes her own eye, it may water, but she won’t feel pain.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.
