1. My toddler is complaining that his eye hurts. Should I make an appointment with the eye doctor?
Occasional eye pain or irritation is common in children. It usually does not last very long, and most cases are easily treated at home by flushing the eyes with water or over-the-counter artificial tear eye drops, and then closing or resting the eyes. Pain that does not go away or gets worse over time could indicate a more serious problem. If you are ever in doubt, it is best to call your eye doctor.
2. My child came home from school saying that his eye hurts. What should I do?
Occasional eye pain or irritation is common in children. It usually does not last very long, and most cases are easily treated at home by flushing the eyes with water or over-the-counter artificial tear eye drops, and then closing or resting the eyes. Pain that does not go away or gets worse over time could indicate a more serious problem. If you are ever in doubt, it is best to call your eye doctor.
3. My child’s eye looks very red. What should I do?
Whenever something irritates the eye, it causes swelling in the blood vessels and turns the eye red. This can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, pollen, fingernails, metal, wood, or something else.
If you think your child may have an eye infection, it is important to see your eye doctor as soon as possible. With prompt, proper treatment most red eyes heal within a few days.
4. My child has a weird bump on his eyelid. Should I make an appointment?
Most eyelid bumps are hordeola – commonly called styes – and usually happen when bacteria infect an oil gland on the eyelid. This infection can cause the lid to become red, swollen, and tender to the touch.
Styes typically heal on their own within a few days, but you can speed up the process by applying a warm (not hot) washcloth to the area for 10-15 minutes, 3-4 times each day, until the stye is gone.
If the stye does not get better after a few days, or if the eye turns red and becomes goopy or sensitive to light, you should call your eye doctor and make an appointment to be seen.