A tiny membrane at the bottom of the tear duct hasn’t opened properly. Massage uses gentle pressure to pop that membrane open, allowing tears to drain normally instead of spilling down the cheek and turning into green or yellow discharge.

Always confirm any home care technique with your pediatrician, especially before starting.

Wash your hands thoroughly. Trim your fingernails. Use your clean index finger or pinky finger.

Look at the inner corner of your baby’s eye (near the nose). Feel for the small, bony ridge of the nose. Right next to it, in the soft crease of the eye corner, is where the tear duct sits.

It’s common for newborns to wake up with a crusty, watery eye. While it can look like an infection, the usual culprit is a blocked tear duct (dacryostenosis). The good news is that a simple, gentle massage technique—often called the Crigler maneuver —can often clear the blockage at home.