6/1/2022
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Posted by Steve Materetsky, Pediatrician and Medical Director at Fidelis Care
The Three Main Cause of Pink Eye
Saying someone has ‘pink eye’ is less of a diagnosis and more of a symptom. A red eye can be caused by numerous things in children. The three main causes of a ‘pink eye’ are bacterial, viral, and allergic. In a baby, drainage from the eye without a ‘pink eye’ is caused mostly by a blockage of the tube around the eye that allows for drainage of tears. If your baby has drainage of the eye WITHOUT any other symptoms (feeding problems, fever, cough, etc), no need to worry as it is most likely a blockage and will resolve on its own.
Pink Eye in Toddlers and Children
Let’s turn our attention to the pink eye in toddlers and children. For allergy causing ‘pink eye’, or ‘allergic conjunctivitis’, there is usually a clear discharge from the eye, if any. This condition is more common in the fall and spring and is associated with other allergy symptoms like sneezing. This condition is best treated by over the counter medications such as Benadryl, and allergy eye drops. Keeping the windows closed and showering at the end of each day during the allergy seasons would help your child as well.
Pink Eye and Eye Drops
When it comes to ‘pink eye’ caused by a virus (‘viral conjunctivitis’) or a bacteria (‘bacterial conjunctivitis’), other factors come into play. The treatment for ‘pink eye’ with one of these causes is quite similar. It has been shown that the use of eye drops in children with this condition can make some difference if started in the first few days. If a parent just uses warm or cool compresses, TIME will also rid the child of this condition. Eye drops are mostly used to allow children back to school. Most school systems prefer a child to be on eye drops for 24 hours before returning to school, though there is no medical data supporting such a stance.
Self-Limiting Condition
If nothing is used, this condition is self-limiting and will resolve in 2 weeks. Making sure a child washes hands and prevents spread by direct contact with secretions or contact with contaminated objects is imperative. Infected individuals should not share handkerchiefs, tissues, towels, cosmetics, linens, or eating utensils.
If you think your child has a ‘pink eye’, call your doctor in order to decide the best form of treatment. As usual, the best preventer of this condition is good and thorough handwashing.