Red eyes in a child - causes and what to do

Red eyes often occur in young children. However, this is not always a sign of overwork, as happens in adults. Sometimes it is caused by various diseases. To avoid serious consequences, you need to quickly determine the reason why your baby’s eyes are red and, if necessary, show the child to a doctor.

Red eyes in a child - reasons

Red eyes in children can be caused by both internal and external factors. External reasons include the following:

• the presence of some foreign body in the eye;
• overvoltage;
• fatigue or lack of sleep;
• injuries;
• influence of weather conditions.

In this case, it is enough to eliminate the cause and the redness goes away. However, there is a second group of reasons - internal diseases, the development of which can be identified precisely by the presence of this symptom. This could be glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure), conjunctivitis(inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye caused by infections, bacteria or viruses), uveitis (inflammation of the choroid), obstruction of the tear ducts and some other diseases. Another reason that occurs frequently is allergies for anything. When an allergic reaction occurs, the eyes also become watery and itchy.

If a child's eyes are red and festering

If, in addition to redness, the eyes fester, this is a sign of an infectious process. It can be caused by the presence of a foreign body. If this is ruled out, the child most likely develops conjunctivitis or dacryocystitis (blockage and inflammation of the eye sac).

Typical manifestations of conjunctivitis are fear of light, pain and burning in the eyes, swelling in the eyelid area. This is a contagious disease; a child can get the infection even when he simply rubs his eyes with his hands.

To cure conjunctivitis, the doctor prescribes special drops or ointment. In addition, lotions made from strong brewed black tea, decoction of calendula, chamomile and other medicinal herbs are useful. Special solutions, for example, furatsilin solution, will help remove pus and protect the eyes from the spread of infection. Even if the inflammation is only in one eye, both need to be treated. This is done using cotton swabs.

Dacryocystitis is not common in children. It can occur due to various injuries, sinusitis, poor development of the lacrimal apparatus. It is identified by the pustules that appear when pressure is applied to the lacrimal openings. Effective treatment may require the use of antibiotics, but first of all it is necessary to find out the cause of the disease.

If your child's eyes are red and itchy

An itchy sensation in the eyes may be an indication that a foreign particle has entered under the eyelid. Another common cause is allergies. Children are especially susceptible to allergies in the summer, during the flowering period of plants. It can also occur due to dust, as well as when keeping pets in the apartment.

The eyes may itch even when a wound is healing. In such cases, itching appears due to the healing substances that the child’s body produces.

Treatment directly depends on the cause of the itching. If your eye itches due to a midge or speck, rinse it well with a weak solution of black tea and apply baby drops. Taking antihistamines will help relieve allergic symptoms, but obstruction of the tear ducts will have to be treated in the hospital.

Red eyes and fever in a child

Sometimes redness of a child's eyes is accompanied by an increase in temperature. It can be caused by both allergens and infection by viruses and bacteria. Even a disease such as blepharitis (popularly called stye) can provoke redness and fever. With this disease, inflammation of the sebaceous gland or eyelash sac occurs. In addition to fever, a headache may appear and lymph nodes may enlarge. To treat blepharitis, physiotherapy and various antibacterial ointments are prescribed.

How to relieve red eyes

If a child has red eyes, first of all, pay attention to whether he watches too much TV or plays on the computer, whether he sleeps well, and whether the lighting in his room is normal. To relieve redness in a child’s eyes and not harm him, you can use special drops prescribed by your doctor. Antihistamines also help in the fight against redness.

Various lotions and compresses with decoctions have a very good effect. daisies, string, sage, cornflower. The so-called brewer's yeast (nagipol), which is available in tablets, is also used. True, for diseases such as uveitis, blepharitis or glaucoma, the use of home remedies is pointless; medical assistance is necessary.

In addition, in pharmacies you will find products that can be bought without a prescription: Visine, Sofradex. Their use (of course, in strict accordance with the instructions) constricts the blood vessels of the eyes and relieves redness. Lying down and frequently blinking your eyes will help relieve tension.

Hygiene and preventive measures must be observed. Under no circumstances should you touch or rub your eyes, as this may cause even more irritation. Buy good antibacterial drops (such as Albucid, for example) at the pharmacy. Of course, they also cannot be used uncontrollably.

It is advisable to treat eye redness under the supervision of a physician. This way your baby will avoid complications and maintain good vision.