A Guide to Eye Infections

Parents should be aware of the symptoms of an eye infection to enable prompt identification and treatment.

Eye infections can be serious and may cause permanent vision loss. Effective treatment is always needed, especially when bacteria, viruses, or fungi invade the eye or the surrounding areas.  The most common eye infections that affect children are called Viral and Bacterial Conjunctivitis— both highly contagious.

Up to 1 in 8 of all children will have an eye infection each year.

Viral conjunctivitis (pink eye) is the most common cause of eye infections among adults and children combined.

Many children contract eye infections in daycare, school, and camp settings where there are many opportunities for germs to spread. Children and teens who wear contact lenses are more susceptible to eye infections.

If your child has an eye infection, keep them home until their infection has cleared to avoid infecting other children.

How do you know if your child has an eye infection?

Common signs and symptoms:

• Discharge that is green, yellow, or bloody
• Eyelids that are stuck together after waking from sleep
• Red eyes or eyelids
• Feeling that something is stuck in the eye
• Eye pain
• A white or gray sore on the iris
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Sudden blurry vision
• Fever, with no other cause

What causes an eye infection?

1) Bacterial conjunctivitis is a highly contagious, bacterial eye infection.

• Eyelids are stuck together upon waking in the morning or after a nap
• Presence of yellow or green discharge
• Whites of the eyes may be pink or red
• Eyelids are often swollen
• Affects one or both eyes

Your doctor will prescribe antibiotic eye drops to treat the infection. Your child should remain at home until the infection has cleared to avoid infecting their classmates.

2) Viral conjunctivitis (pink eye) is a highly contagious, viral eye infection.

• Generally affects both eyes
• Eyes appear pink and watery
• Itchy eyes
• Typically no sign of discharge
• Can appear with a fever, sore throat, and/or runny nose

What to do if your child has pink eye: Your child should remain at home to avoid infecting classmates. Take precautions so as to avoid infecting the other members of the house.

Pink eye usually resolves in three to seven days without any treatment and is no longer contagious once the tearing has stopped. Ice packs or artificial tears may alleviate some of the discomfort.

3) A blocked tear duct occurs when there is an obstruction of the tear duct, and the eye cannot effectively drain the tears. This condition presents in 10 percent of newborns.

• Affected eye continuously fills with tears that run down the face
• Eye becomes watery and irritated
• A secondary infection can result—causing redness, swelling, and a discharge

What to do if your child has a blocked tear duct: There is generally no treatment for this condition. A blocked tear duct usually heals on its own. However, if an infection is noted, seek medical care.

4) A Foreign object such as sand, dust, or dirt, can be blown into the eye, and cause an eye infection if not removed. These particles usually get stuck under the upper eyelid and over time, begin to infect the eye. The tell-tale sign of an infection is the presence of a discharge.

What to do if your child has a foreign object in their eye: If your child is in discomfort or there is a discharge coming from your child’s eye, make an urgent appointment with your eye doctor.

An infection can occur if foreign particles are not removed from the eye.

Inform your doctor of all your child’s symptoms because the underlying cause of the discharge may not be easily determined.  An infection that results will not respond to antibiotic treatments without the removal of the foreign particles.

5) Orbital cellulitis is a deep infection of the eyelid and surrounding tissues. This infection usually spreads inward, and can occur from an upper respiratory infection, eyelid infection, or trauma to the eye.

• Swollen, red, painful eyelid
• Eye can be swollen shut or appear “pushed forward”
• Typically affects one eye
• With or without bus
• Fever
• Decreased vision
• Inability to move the eye

What to do if your child has orbital cellulitis: SEEK EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE.

This type of infection is considered a medical emergency and must be treated promptly to prevent blindness, meningitis. Without urgent medical attention, this condition can be fatal. Your eye doctor will co-manage your child’s symptoms along with their primary care doctor.

Contact an eye doctor as soon as you notice symptoms of an eye infection.

SEE RELATED: Pink Eye or Allergies?

Find an eye doctor for children near you

Less common eye infections

1) Trachoma is a serious eye infection that affects the inner eyelid. The infection leads to scarring and an “in-turning” of the eyelid— causing the eyelashes to damage the corneal tissue and over time causing permanent blindness.

This infection is spread by flies in unsanitary conditions, with the threat of reinfection a common problem. Good hygiene is crucial in preventing trachoma, and oral antibiotics are vital for controlling the infection.

2) Endophthalmitis is generally caused by bacteria from a penetrating eye injury, and is a serious inner-eye infection. In rare cases, this type of infection can occur from an eye surgery complication, such as cataract surgery.

Urgent medical treatment with strong oral antibiotics is crucial to prevent significant vision loss or even blindness.

Eye infections related to contact lenses

1) Fungal keratitis. Fungi can infect the front of the eye and cause severe inflammation of the cornea. Poor contact lens hygiene, or a penetrating eye injury, can cause a fungal infection in the eye.

2) Acanthamoeba keratitis is a vision-threatening eye infection, caused by a parasite that can enter the cornea of the eye through contact lenses.

Here are a few safety tips for contact lens wearers:

• Wash your hands before inserting or removing contact lenses
• Avoid wearing contact lenses in the pool
• Remove and disinfect your lenses according to your doctors’ instructions

When should you contact your eye doctor?

If you are concerned your child has an eye infection, do not wait— make an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible.

Do not try to self-diagnose!

Your doctor will determine the type of eye infection that your child is presenting with, in order to prescribe the most effective treatment. The earlier your child is seen, the sooner they can receive appropriate treatment.

Antibiotic eye drops or ointments are typically prescribed for a bacterial infection, while a viral infection generally has to just run its course. Most cases of conjunctivitis resolve within a week.

If a viral infection is severe, it may require antiviral eye drops to help clear the infection, or steroid eye drops to reduce swelling. Your eye doctor may also prescribe oral antibiotics or oral antiviral medications, depending on the underlying cause of the infection.

When is an eye infection an emergency situation?

If your child presents with any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical care.

• Red or swollen eyelid(s)
• Moderate eye pain
• Blurry vision
• Fever over 104° F (40° C)
• If your child looks sick, or is acting differently

Caution: If your child has a fever and is less than 12 weeks old, DO NOT give them fever medication until they are seen by a doctor.

How can you prevent an eye infection?

To prevent an eye infection, try to avoid touching your eyes as much as possible. Wash your hands throughout the day, especially before touching your eyes. If your child wears contact lenses, educate them on the importance of washing their hands before inserting or removing their lenses.

In addition, wash towels and bedding frequently, and disinfect counter tops and door handles on a regular basis.

LEARN MORE: Guide to Pediatric Eye Conditions

If you think your child may have an eye infection, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible! Do not self-diagnose.

Eye infections can cause significant discomfort, however, when children are young, they are often unable to accurately express what is bothering them. The earlier the infection is treated, the sooner your child will receive the appropriate care and begin to feel better!

Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis) (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth

What Is Pinkeye?

The eye infection conjunctivitis (kun-junk-tih-VY-tus) — often called pinkeye — is common in young kids. It’s usually contagious, and breakouts can sweep through preschools and playgrounds. But even teens and adults can get pinkeye.

Pinkeye is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the white part of the eye and the inner eyelids. It’s a minor infection and although it might look bad, usually isn’t serious.

Still, if your child shows signs of pinkeye, it’s important to see a doctor. Some kinds of pinkeye go away on their own, but others need treatment.

What Causes Pinkeye?

Infectious pinkeye (the kind that can spread to others) can be caused by many of the bacteria and viruses responsible for colds and other infections — including ear infections, sinus infections, and sore throats. Sometimes it’s caused by the same types of bacteria that cause chlamydia and gonorrhea, two sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Some kinds of pinkeye are noninfectious, such as:

• allergic conjunctivitis, which happens more often in kids with other allergic conditions, like hay fever. Triggers include grass, ragweed pollen, animal dander, and dust mites.
• irritant conjunctivitis, caused by anything that irritates the eyes, such as air pollution or chlorine in pools

Pinkeye in Newborns

Newborns are at risk for pinkeye and can develop serious health problems if it’s not treated. If a pregnant woman has an STD, during delivery the bacteria or virus can pass from the birth canal into the baby’s eyes, causing pinkeye. To prevent this, doctors give antibiotic ointment or eye drops to all babies right after birth. Occasionally, this treatment causes a mild chemical conjunctivitis, which usually clears up on its own. Doctors also can screen pregnant women for STDs and treat them during pregnancy to prevent spreading the infection to the baby.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Pinkeye?

Besides the telltale red or pink color that gives pinkeye its name, eye discomfort is a common symptom. Kids might say that it feels like there’s sand in the eye. Often, there’s some discharge from the eye, and pain and swelling of the conjunctiva. Some kids have swollen eyelids or sensitivity to bright light. Pinkeye can affect one or both eyes.

In cases of allergic conjunctivitis, itchiness and watery eyes are common symptoms.

Is Pinkeye Contagious?

Pinkeye is contagious if it’s caused by bacteria or a virus:

• Pinkeye that’s caused by bacteria can spread to others as soon as symptoms appear and for as long as there’s discharge from the eye — or until 24 hours after antibiotics are started.
• Pinkeye that’s caused by a virus is generally contagious before symptoms appear and can remain so as long as the symptoms last.

Allergic conjunctivitis and irritant conjunctivitis are not contagious.

A child can get pinkeye by touching an infected person or something an infected person has touched, such as a used tissue. In the summertime, pinkeye can spread when kids swim in contaminated water or share contaminated towels. It also can spread through coughing and sneezing.

Also, someone who has pinkeye in one eye can spread it to the other eye by rubbing or touching the infected eye, then touching the other eye.

How Is Pinkeye Diagnosed?

If you think your child has pinkeye, it’s important to see your health care provider to learn what’s causing it and how to treat it. Other serious eye conditions can have similar symptoms, so a child who complains of severe pain, changes in eyesight, swelling around the eyes, or sensitivity to light should be examined.

If you can’t get an in-person visit, you might be able to do a “video visit” instead. Telehealth — when patients and health care providers use technology for the remote diagnosis and treatment of some health conditions — is becoming more and more popular. Ask your health care provider if his or her practice participates in telemedicine, and check with your insurance provider to see if this option is covered.

How Is Pinkeye Treated?

Pinkeye caused by a virus usually goes away without any treatment. Pinkeye caused by bacteria is treated with antibiotic eye drops or ointment.

It can be hard to get kids to tolerate eye drops several times a day. If you’re having trouble, put the drops on the inner corner of your child’s closed eye — when your child opens the eye, the medicine will flow into it. If you still have trouble with drops, ask the doctor about antibiotic ointment, which can be placed in a thin layer where the eyelids meet, and will melt and enter the eye.

If your child has allergic conjunctivitis, your doctor may prescribe anti-allergy medicine, either as pills, liquid, or eye drops.

You also can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve discomfort (check instructions for correct amount).

How Can Parents Help?

Using cool or warm compresses on the eyes may make your child more comfortable. Clean the edges of the infected eye carefully with warm water and gauze or cotton balls. This can also remove the crusts of dried discharge that make the eyelids stick together in the morning.

If your child wears contact lenses, your doctor or eye doctor may recommend that the lenses not be worn until the infection is gone. Then, disinfect the lenses and their storage case at least twice before letting your child wear them again. If your child wears disposable contact lenses, throw away the current pair and use a new pair after the infection is gone.

Doctors usually recommend keeping kids with contagious conjunctivitis out of school, childcare, or summer camp for a short time.

Can Pinkeye Be Prevented?

Infectious conjunctivitis is highly contagious, so teach kids to wash their hands well and often with warm water and soap. They also should not share eye drops, tissues, eye makeup, washcloths, towels, or pillowcases.

Be sure to wash your own hands well after touching an infected child’s eyes, and throw away items like gauze or cotton balls after they’ve been used. Wash towels and other linens that the child has used in hot water separately from the rest of the family’s laundry to avoid contamination.

If you know your child is prone to allergic conjunctivitis, keep windows and doors closed on days when the pollen is heavy, and dust and vacuum often to limit allergy triggers. Irritant conjunctivitis can only be prevented by avoiding the irritating causes.

Screening and treating pregnant women for STDs can prevent many cases of pinkeye in newborns. A pregnant woman may have bacteria in her birth canal even if she shows no symptoms, which is why prenatal screening is important.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

If the pinkeye does not improve after 2 to 3 days of treatment, or after a week if untreated, call your doctor.

If your child has increased swelling, redness, and tenderness in the eyelids and around the eye, along with a fever, call your doctor. Those symptoms may mean the infection has started to spread beyond the conjunctiva and will need more treatment.

Reviewed by: Rachel S. Schare, MD

Date reviewed: November 2020

The child’s eye is festering, what to treat, medicines, washing, professional consultation of an ophthalmologist

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Children’s vision

January 03, 2023

Sometimes in the first weeks of life, a newborn has purulent discharge from one or both eyes, eyelashes stick together or watery eyes. These signs indicate the presence of a disease in an infant. The most common reasons may be:

Allergy
The baby may have an allergic reaction, for example, to milk or medicines. In this case, there is an abundant release of tears, which causes redness of the eyes and the appearance of pus.

Blepharitis
A disease that affects the edges of the eyelids, accompanied by the appearance of purulent crusts on the eyelashes, gluing of the eyelashes, swelling and redness of the edges of the eyelids. Improper hygiene of the child’s eyes can lead to the appearance of pus on the eyelashes.

Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyeball and eyelids occurs against the background of the presence of chlamydia (possibly when infected through the birth canal), staphylococcus aureus, SARS, influenza and other infectious diseases. The main signs of inflammation are redness of the eyes, accumulation of pus in the corners of the eyes, itching, tearing, pain in the eyelids. Read more about conjunctivitis here.

Dacryocystitis
The cause of the appearance of pus in the eyes of a newborn child may be a violation of the patency of the lacrimal ducts.

The main symptoms of the presence of the disease

• A large number of purulent crusts
• Persistent, copious greenish or yellow discharge
• Swollen or red eyes.

Usually these symptoms are not dangerous for the health of the child, but if the first symptoms appear, you should not treat yourself at home and put drops or ointment in your eyes. It is important to immediately contact an ophthalmologist for a consultation. The doctor will be able to accurately diagnose and prescribe the necessary course of treatment.

Hygiene and treatment

For hygienic purposes, eyewash with antiseptic solutions is used. It is possible to use a solution of potassium permanganate. Washing with ordinary boiled water and regular compresses help. The main thing is not to forget the basic rules of eye hygiene:

• Before starting, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to avoid infections in your child’s eyes. Before rinsing, make sure that there is no soap or other product left on the palms.
• Flush eyes only with sterile items such as cotton swabs or gauze. Hands, cotton pads, scarves, napkins should not be used.
• Do not open a newborn’s eyelids without first moistening, and do not rub or scab dry as this may damage the eyes.
• Soften the crust and rinse the eyes with sterile wet gauze or a swab. Moisten gauze or swab with saline solution (for example, a solution of furacilin) ​​or warm boiled water if there is no solution. Chamomile tea or other decoctions should not be used to clean a child’s eyes, as it is not a sterile product that can cause allergies or infections.
• Eyes are best cleaned from the inner corner to the outer, as this helps to remove residual fluid from the eyes.
• Eye cleaning should be done a couple of times a day: after waking up, when there is more fluid accumulation, and after taking a bath, as the crusts soften and are removed more easily.

For treatment purposes, the doctor may prescribe antibacterial eye drops and/or ointments, antiviral eye drops, antihistamines in the form of eye drops or tablets.

In case of confirmation of dacryocystitis in newborns, the doctor teaches parents the technique of special massage for self-administration at home or makes a conclusion about the need for timely surgical treatment.

In any case, we recommend that you immediately contact a specialist if you have symptoms.

See also:

How to recognize myopia in a child in time and maintain good vision?

Amblyopia in children

Peripheral retinal dystrophies in children

Which glasses should a child choose?

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The eyes of a child fester – causes, treatment and prevention of diseases

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Causes of suppuration of the eyes in children

Causes of suppuration of the eyes in children over one year old

Treatment of eye suppuration in children

Prevention of eye suppuration in infants and children older than one year

What can be dangerous if a child has suppuration of the eyes

Eye suppuration is a common problem in newborns. The fact is that during the period of attempts, infection of the fetus can occur, infection occurs. To prevent this from happening, doctors can disinfect the eyes with special solutions in children in the first hours of life. In some cases, decontamination may not help, and the infection will still spread.

Causes of suppuration of the eyes in children

• Infectious eye diseases – conjunctivitis, in most cases bacterial, keratitis.
• Inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct.
• Foreign object in the eye.
• Inflammation of the skin layers around the eyes, which is medically called “orbital cellulitis”.
• Barley can also cause pus in the eye of a child.
• Blockage of tear ducts.
• Allergic reactions.

Let’s analyze each reason in more detail. Ophthalmologists say that in the vast majority of cases in infants, infection occurs against the background of dacryocystitis , a condition in which swelling occurs in the area of ​​the lacrimal sac. Experts say that suppuration of the eyes in newborns can also occur due to inflammatory processes in the mother’s reproductive system.

Conjunctivitis is characterized by inflammation of the tissues around the eyes. They look red and swollen. Bacterial conjunctivitis must be treated according to a plan drawn up by an ophthalmologist.

Sometimes mote, speck of dust, cat hair may get into the eye . As a response, lacrimation, irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye may occur. In this case, you should contact an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Orbital cellulitis occurs due to infection of the deeper layers of the skin around the eyes. This is a dangerous disease that is fraught with further spread of infection to other areas. The progression of pathology is dangerous for children’s vision.

Stye is a small firm swelling in the area of ​​the eyelid. Barley is able to further develop into a chalazion, a more dangerous condition.

Allergic reactions resulting in suppuration usually occur in children over one year of age. Purulent discharge from the eyes is one of the symptoms of allergies. This condition often occurs during periods of seasonal allergies, during periods of flowering plants that are considered allergens.

Causes of suppuration of the eyes in children older than one year

A common cause of suppuration of the eyes in older children can be a cold, flu due to the spread of a viral infection. In this case, it is necessary to take measures to treat the infection.

Colds can provoke an inflammatory process in the sinuses. This is called sinusitis. This condition is accompanied by symptoms such as an increase in body temperature to a high level, a runny nose, and suppuration of the eyes.

Treatment of eye suppuration in children

Before talking about treatment, it is important to understand the symptoms that need attention. These include swelling of the eyelids, profuse purulent discharge from the eyes, decreased visual acuity, pain in the eye area, profuse lacrimation, redness of the eyes.

If these symptoms occur, see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Infectious diseases in children progress very quickly and treatment should be started as soon as possible. In some cases, antibiotic treatment may even be needed if staphylococcus aureus caused the suppuration of the eyes.

The method of treatment depends on the cause that caused suppuration of the eyes in the child. As a rule, treatment is therapeutic in nature. The ophthalmologist may prescribe special antibacterial drops or ointments, eyewashes.

In the case of dacryocystitis, the outcome of the appointment of surgical intervention is likely. The operation can be performed if the patency in the tear ducts is impaired.

Suppuration caused by allergic reactions can be cured if the cause of the allergy is removed. To suppress symptomatic manifestations, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines in combination with other drugs.

Do not self-medicate. The only correct approach to treatment is to immediately show the child to an ophthalmologist and begin treatment.

Prevention of eye suppuration in infants and children older than one year

Good nutrition will have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the immune system. A normal level of immune response is very important for fighting viruses and bacteria that enter the child’s body.

If the eyes are festering in newborns, preventive measures cannot prevent the pathological process. To help prevent festering in older children, it is important to follow these preventive measures to reduce the risk of festering:

What can be dangerous if a child has festering eyes

If festering eyes in children are not treated, the symptom may return in an even more serious condition. Infectious diseases – conjunctivitis, keratitis – can progress and can lead to complications in the child’s vision.

Suppuration of the eyes can lead to the appearance of other unpleasant symptoms for the child – itching, burning in the eyes, watery eyes.