Many newborns do not have fully developed tear ducts. Despite this, infants still create eye discharge. Because the tear ducts are not large enough, the eye discharge may block the ducts. As a result, infants sometimes accumulate green or yellow mucus around their eyes even while awake. Generally, eye mucus is not a sign of an eye infection at this age. Instead, signs of infant eye infections include the eye becoming red, swollen, or tender. Children whose tear ducts do not develop fully by their first birthday may require surgery.

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