Redness of the eyes in infants: possible causes and first aid for treatment

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Reddened eyes in a newborn are not uncommon, but at the same time unsafe. Very often, this indicates the presence of other hidden diseases and can be dangerous. After a symptom occurs, immediate diagnosis should be made to determine how serious the problem is.

Red eye in a baby: possible causes

If you notice that the whites of your child's eyes are covered with a vascular mesh, and this is an atypical case of a cold or a virus, try to figure out why this happened.

There can be many reasons:

• fatigue, overstrain;
• a foreign object or speck may have got into the eyes;
• injured mucous membrane of the eye;
• conjunctivitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, provoked by viruses, bacteria;
• allergy to various components, including dust. In this case, the baby's eye is not only red, but itchy and watery;
• uveitis is a disease in which blood vessels become inflamed;
• blepharitis - a disease of the ciliary edge or a special gland, there is redness and swelling in the corners of the eyelids;
• glaucoma - increased intraocular pressure;
• vegetative dystonia;
• the baby may suffer from a blockage of the mucus canal.

An ophthalmologist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis for a child. After examination, he will determine the cause of the redness of the eyes and prescribe treatment.

Specific treatments

Before starting treatment with medicines or procedures, it will be useful for the parents of the baby to familiarize themselves with the precautionary measures:

• If a foreign body gets into the eye, you need to try to get it;
• Overheating of the sore spot is not allowed. Vessels may burst;
• Provide your baby with the most comfortable existence: protect from stress and tension. He needs healthy sleep and food;
• Limit contact with other children (on the playground, in the pool), since conjunctivitis can be contagious. Maintain cleanliness of the eyes and hand hygiene. Make sure that the baby does not scratch his eyes with dirty hands;
• Perhaps the baby is annoyed by the light. It needs to be made more subdued in the children's bedroom;
• A sore eye should be washed several times a day with cotton pads moistened with boiled water, furacilin or chamomile infusion;
• It is necessary to exclude some food products: mixtures or complementary foods, if allergic conjunctivitis occurs;
• In case of other complications: fever, feeling unwell, plaintive cry, immediately seek help from a doctor.

With redness of the eyes in infants, either local treatment in the form of drops and ointments, or complex therapy, is prescribed, depending on the complexity of the problem.

When the lacrimal canal is blocked, a massage is prescribed, which should be done exclusively by a specialist. Also children's antibacterial droplets.

For allergies, antihistamines are prescribed. Washing with furacilin or chamomile broth is also desirable.

A more serious condition that parents may face is blepharitis. Reddened corners of the eyes are a sign of inflammation of the meibomian glands. In this case, the treatment will be long and complex. Ointments, Tobrex, Vitisik, herbal lotions, washing with tar soap are prescribed. Dealing with blafritis can include consulting with several specialists: an ophthalmologist, dermatologist, and gastroenterologist, since the disease is often caused by gastrointestinal problems.

Uveitis also requires complex treatment. Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed and immunosuppressive therapy is mandatory. Immunosuppressive therapy is a treatment in which drugs are prescribed to suppress the immune system, which is necessary for diseases in which the activation of cells that damage their own tissues and organs is characteristic. Other procedures that may be prescribed: hemosorption, quantum autohemotherapy, plasmoferer - they are designed to purify blood by passing it through sorbents.

Glaucoma often requires operable intervention; in some simple cases, medications are prescribed: acetazolamide, betaxalol, pilocarpine.

Allergic conjunctivitis in infants goes away after taking antihistamines, which are taken in any form: tablets, drops, syrups, etc.

Treatment should not be interrupted if the first symptoms have disappeared, since they may return, and the conjunctivitis itself becomes chronic.

Traditional treatment

A red eye in a baby can be cured with folk remedies. Conjunctivitis is most often bacterial in nature. At the same time, the golden and unshakable rule in the treatment of the disease is the hygiene of the mucous membrane.

Among the folk aids for washing are used:

• Weak decoction of chamomile. 100 g of chamomile per 200 g of boiling water. They can wash or bury the mucous membrane;
• Bay leaf (3-4 leaves), finely crushed, 200 g of boiling water is poured, infused, filtered. Infusion wipe eyes up to five to six times a day;
• Dried flowers of cornflowers. Just like the bay leaf, pour boiling water, let it stand, strain. Apply up to six times a day.

Preventive measures

Prevention is better than any cure. The best prevention methods for your little one are cleanliness, hygiene and a healthy lifestyle. Take regular walks in the fresh air, ventilate the room in any weather, do not neglect wet cleaning.

Our organs of vision are very sensitive and very susceptible to infectious diseases. Of course, the mucous membrane in infants is a vulnerable spot for bacteria and negative influences.

What not to do to warn your baby against vision problems:

• Walk in a strong cold wind or draft. And if you still decide to ventilate, then cover and protect the baby's face from the cold air;
• Breathe strong frosty air. The kid is not recommended to walk at temperatures below 15 degrees. However, it all depends on immunity;
• Substitute the baby's face under the sun's ultraviolet rays, which are so harmful to the baby's eyes and skin;
• Expose the eyes to chlorinated water. Often, parents, in order to improve the health of their babies, bring them to the pool for children's water aerobics. This is very useful, but adults should be extremely careful so that chlorinated water does not enter the child's eyes;
• Injuries, bruises, injuries are those cases that need to be monitored while the child is very young. It is better to play it safe once again and fix the position of the baby in the stroller, crib with high sides, not to leave the baby like a doll on a high table unattended.

An infant does not know how to talk and complain about his painful sensations, therefore, internal diseases can be determined only by the first prolonged cry, fever or other alarming symptoms.

So, reddened, sore eyes are the first news of any disease. Don't wait until the situation clears up or gets worse by itself. Call a doctor, provide first aid. Help your baby to see this world clearly.