A Chinese mother was left horrified after discovering that a fake eyelash worn by her baby’s confinement nanny had apparently become trapped inside her infant’s eye for at least 10 days.
The incident came to light after the family noticed a hair-like foreign object appearing and disappearing beneath the eyelid of their baby, who was just over a month old at the time.
The mother, identified as Ms Sun from Zhejiang province, told Yangtze Evening News that she had hired the confinement nanny through a relative’s recommendation to care for her newborn.
However, around three days after the nanny completed her service, the family noticed something unusual in the baby’s eye.
They subsequently took the infant to seek medical attention. About a week later, the baby’s grandmother spotted the foreign object protruding from the eye and managed to remove it using a wet facial wipe.
To the family’s shock, the object turned out to be one of the nanny’s artificial eyelashes.
Sun said the eyelash had remained inside the baby’s eye for at least 10 days.
She recalled noticing that the nanny wore artificial eyelashes when she first arrived to begin work.
According to Sun, the nanny had undergone a semi-permanent eyelash extension procedure, in which artificial lashes are attached using adhesive and can remain in place for an extended period.
Although the family had concerns about the potential risks, they did not raise the issue directly at the time because they felt uncomfortable confronting her.
Several details surrounding the incident remain unclear. The family did not witness the eyelash falling into the baby’s eye, and it has yet to be established exactly when or how it happened, or whether it caused any injury.
The child is now six months old but has not undergone a comprehensive eye examination because of her young age.
A subsequent health check detected astigmatism, although Sun stressed that there was no evidence linking the condition to the eyelash incident.
When the family contacted the nanny seeking an explanation, she reportedly responded several times by saying that it was good the object had already come out, without directly addressing their concerns.
The family has not lodged a police report and currently has no plans to take legal action. Sun said she shared the experience online mainly to warn other families about safety precautions when hiring confinement nannies.
Doctors advised parents to seek immediate medical attention if they discover a foreign object in a young child’s eye, warning that observing the situation at home may not be sufficient to determine the extent of the problem.
Caregivers were also urged to be mindful of loose or sharp objects on their bodies and avoid exposing infants’ eyes to potential hazards.
Meanwhile, legal experts said the absence of a written contract does not necessarily prevent a family from pursuing accountability.
WeChat conversations, payment records and evidence of services provided may all be used to establish the existence of a service agreement.
However, whether wearing artificial eyelashes amounts to negligence would depend on factors including whether the risk was foreseeable, whether it could have been avoided and the professional duty of care expected of the nanny.
Lawyers advised the family to complete an eye examination and retain all relevant medical records.
They also recommended that families hiring confinement nannies include clear safety requirements in their agreements, particularly regarding objects that could easily fall off, the reporting of unusual incidents and arrangements for seeking medical treatment.
