Practicing good hygiene is the best way to protect your kids from eye infections. One of the most common infections contracted by kids is conjunctivitis, and if your child is affected, make sure your family is using these best practices to avoid the spread of this infectious illness:
- Encourage your children to wash their hands often
- Teach them to avoid touching their eyes
- Encourage them to use fresh towels, washcloths, handkerchiefs, and tissues to wipe their face and eyes
- Routinely change their bedding and pillowcases often
If the inside of your child’s eyelid is red, as well as the white of the eye, he or she may very well have conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. This painful, itchy inflammation is a sign of infection, but may also have been caused by irritation or allergic reaction. In some less common cases, it can signal a serious condition. Conjunctivitis will be accompanied by tearing and discharge as the body attempts to heal the condition.
A warm compress applied to the closed eyelids will relieve some of the discomfort. If the warm compress is irritating, then use a cool compress. To make such a compress, take a clean, lint-free cloth and soak it in water and wring it out. If there is an infection in one eye alone, avoid using this same cloth on both eyes so you won’t spread the infection to the healthy eye. Over-the-counter artificial tears can also be helpful here.
You should avoid any direct contact with your child’s eyes or the drainage from them until the medication has been in use for several days and you can see evidence of a lessening of redness. Always thoroughly wash your hands both before and after touching the area around the infected eye.
Your child will need to see their pediatrician right away if their eyes are red. Keep in mind that previously opened medication or medication prescribed to someone else must never be used in your child’s eyes; doing this could cause serious damage.
The Classic Vision Care team understands how important the gift of sight is, and we strive to provide the very best eye care to all our patients. We have locations in West Paces Ferry, Smyrna, and East Cobb. To learn more about the services we offer, you can schedule a consultation online or simply call our office. We look forward to hearing from you!
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