A new mother wants to know why the nurse put eyedrops in her infant's eyes. She states "he is too young to need medicine!". The nurse explains that the medication given is erythromycin ophthalmic ointment and the purpose is to:
a. Prevent potentially harmful exudate from invading the tear ducts of the infant's eyes, leading to dry eyes.
b. Prevent gonorrheal and chlamydial infection of the infant's eyes potentially acquired from the birth canal.
c. Prevent the infant's eyelids from sticking together and help the infant see.
d. Destroy an infectious exudate caused by Staphylococcus that could make the infant blind.
