Final answer:
Infants' eyes are cleansed with antibacterial creams or drops like erythromycin to prevent serious infections, such as ophthalmia neonatorum due to pathogens acquired during birth. This is a standard preventative treatment that replaces the older practice of using silver nitrate ointments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cleansing Infant Eyes
To cleanse the eyes of an infant, especially to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum, hospitals use antibacterial creams or drops such as erythromycin. Previously, silver nitrate ointments were applied, but this practice has been largely replaced. The treatment is crucial as it protects infants from serious eye infections that can lead to blindness, caused by pathogens such as N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis, which could be transmitted during vaginal delivery.
Effective preventative treatment for neonatal conjunctivitis includes the topical application of antibacterial agents to stop the spread of the infection. In some cases, oral or intravenous antibiotics may be necessary. Diagnostic tests such as bacterial cultures and Gram stains help identify the causative agents, allowing for targeted treatment.
Proper hygiene methods using all-purpose cleansers and neutral or weakly alkaline solutions are safe for infants but are not a substitute for targeted antibacterial treatments for eye infections. It's important to distinguish general cleaning solutions from medically recommended treatments for specific conditions.