Final answer:
The drops placed in a newborn's eyes are to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis, protecting the infant from severe eye infections like gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum and inclusion conjunctivitis that can result from pathogens transmitted during birth.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the delivery room, the nurse places drops in a newborn's eyes primarily to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis. Transmission of infectious diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea from mother to baby during birth can result in severe eye infections that may lead to blindness. Antibiotic drops or ointments are applied to newborns' eyes shortly after birth as a standard preventative treatment against these infections. Specifically, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis are pathogens that can cause gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum and inclusion conjunctivitis, respectively, and have serious complications if left untreated, including corneal ulceration or perforation.