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• Usually treated with an antibiotic ointment. Ointment is used
because it stays in the eye longer than drops.
Call during office hours if you suspect that your child has a bacterial
conjunctivitis.
Eye Allergies
Eye allergies may be suspected when your child has itchy eyes with increased
tearing, redness or pinkness of the eye but no pus draining from the eye. This is
especially likely if similar symptoms occur every year during the same months or
are associated with allergic symptoms of the nose.
Eye allergies can be caused by dust, pollens, animal dander, feathers and eye
makeup just to name a few.
Prevention: Teach your child to wash his or her hands before touching the
face or eyes.
Home Care:
• Remove alleroen: Wash face and eyelids with a clean wash cloth and
cool water. A cool cloth on the eyes will soothe the itchiness. Washing
the face will help to remove the offending allergen.
• Vasoconstrictive eve drops: You may try Naphcon A Eye Drops 1-2
drops in affected eye twice a day.
• Oral Antihistamines such as Benadryl, Zyrtec or Claritin.
Eye Injury
Chemical In the eye
1. Irrigate the eye with warm water for 5 - 10 minutes by one of the
following methods.
• For a young child - Have the child lie down, hold the eye open and
pour lukewarm water into the eye from a glass or pitcher.
• For an older child - Immerse the entire face into a basin of warm
tap water and have the child open and close their eyes and look
from side to side. If only one eye is affected cover the other eye
while irrigating.
2. Some substances are harmless to the eye such as soap, hairspray, or
sunscreen. Some substances such as toilet bowl cleanser (acid) or
drain cleaner (alkali) can cause severe damage to the cornea. Call
Poison Control 1-800-222-1222 after irrigation completed.
Foreign body In eye
1. If the foreign body is small particulate matter such as sand, sawdust or
cinders irrigate eye as above.
2. Eyelashes can usually be removed with a moist cotton swab.
Call us Immediately If:
• The foreign body was sharp, hit the eye with speed, or is stuck to the
eyeball.
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