Article » Common Eye Infections - Signs and Treatment
Adapted from The Parent Report Radio Show.
Any advice or information contained herein should never be a substitute
for professional and/or medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. For
more information please review Terms of Service.
Common Eye Infections - Signs and Treatment
Is your child in daycare? Then it's probably just a matter of time before she comes home with a case of the highly contagious, pink eye.
If your child comes home from school or daycare with an itchy, red eye, then beware. She likely has the common, and very contagious eye infection, conjunctivitis. Also known as pink eye, it is usually accompanied by a thick, yellow discharge, often crusting the eyes shut in the morning. Pink eye can be viral or bacterial in nature. Viral infections are self-limiting and need to run their course, whereas bacterial infections require antibiotic eye-drops. The only way to know for certain whether your child's eye infection is bacterial or viral is to have her seen by her doctor.
The good news is that while pink eye is uncomfortable, it is rarely serious. Pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Roy Cline elaborates. "Conjunctivitis is an infection of the eye surface. Normally it should be nice and white. But if it's red and swollen with discharge, it's usually caused by the same type of virus that causes an upper-respiratory condition. And when it comes in that combination then you have pink eye."
If your child has pink eye then you may want to keep your child away from school or daycare until the infection has cleared, so as not to pass it around to other children. Also it's advisable to avoid sharing towels, and avoid touching the eye area. As Dr. Cline explains "it's a very contagious disorder and really requires children to be meticulous about hand-washing. It's spread by tear drops so you don't want a child touching back and forth."
Overall, it is wise to have any problems with eyes or vision assessed by a doctor. Finally, if your child's eye infection is accompanied by a fever, swelling and a general sense of malaise, do have your child seen by a physician immediately, as this may require prompt treatment.
Sharing Options for Common Eye Infections - Signs and Treatment
Related Articles
Fevers
Sore Throats
Antibiotics - Misuse and Overuse
Ear Infections
S.I.D.S.
Flus and Flu Vaccine
Coping with Colic
Recommended Books
Browse
-
This article appears in the follwing categories:
Toddler
Preschool
Early School
Health
Comments (95)
Join the Discussion:
Note: scrolling to the bottom loads more comments.
-
Michelle
2011-08-14 8:58 pm Permalink
-
Pink eye discharge but my eyes aren't pinkI have been waking up every morning for the past two weeks with greenish discharge in my eyes and dried around the edges, but my eyes aren't red during the day. I have had pink eye in the past and it doesn't last this long. I have been very careful to avoid touching my eyes and wearing makeup. I don't know what this is or how to make it go away. I hope someone will be able to give me some advice to make this go away.
-
Amber
2011-07-16 1:07 am Permalink
-
Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFThis is happening to me right now. I have the same issue as Brittnay normally with the stringy mucus but this is so much more annoying. I can't function it's so awful. Did anybody figure out what it was?
-
Brittnay
2011-06-29 11:07 pm Permalink
-
Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFHi sweetheart. I've always had problems with my eyes. Usually it's stringy mucus that i NEED to pull out or it drives me crazy. It's mucus cut it comes out in strings. Sometimes wraps around my eyeball. I went to the eye doctor and they said i had a staph infection. This doesn't make sense cuz it runs in my family. But lately, I've been having the exact same problem as you. I can't stand it. Please let me know if you ever found a reason.
-
kimberly
2011-06-24 9:14 pm Permalink
-
Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFive tryed drops creams ani histamines nothing works for me ether
-
kimberly
2011-06-24 9:09 pm Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFi have the same problem i go to the docs and they say it conjuntivius but i know its not im 26years old and ive had the same problem since i was 6
-
catherine Green
2011-06-15 6:56 pm Permalink
-
pink eye in a 13 month oldis it okay to use fusidic ointment to treat a 13 month old baby's eye infection
-
Tom
2011-06-13 6:17 am Permalink
-
Re: Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFI've had the same thing for years.. it happens only every couple of months.. but the inner eyelid skin peels and it doesnt hurt but then my eye turns very puffy and red and sometimes is sealed shut the next morning..
-
Holly williams
2011-03-19 10:12 pm Permalink
-
16 month old eye infectionMy son has had greenish discharge and matting of the morning for two days?? Also the eye is puffy and red on the outside??? Any ideas of what this is and the best way to treat until can go to doc. on monday??? He also has a runny nose
-
matt, london
2010-07-04 1:13 pm Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFi have the same thing. i think it is an extreme reaction to hayfever as i only get it at the start and the end of the summer when pollen is highest. I tried hayfever medication, plus eyedrops and wore shades all day for a few days and it got much better. good luck!
-
Mark
2010-06-14 1:48 am Permalink
-
3 Yr. Old Daughter has yellow discharge from both eyes help.My 3 Year old daughter has a whitish yellow discharge in both eyes and is accompanied by redness in the corners closest to her nose. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
-
omar
2010-05-05 8:08 am Permalink
-
Re: eye infectionMy son is 8 years old and his eye lid is almost closed and he's got on a puffed up pimle in the corner of the eye, he has id about 2 months ago but not as bad and the doctor prescribed to him eye drops chlormotype. could you please advise what to do next many thanks
-
katie
2010-05-01 10:06 pm Permalink
-
Re: Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFive been going through the same thing, my doctor doesnt believe me that my eyelid is actually peeling. it just started a week ago, but its driving me nuts. ive been looking around and this is all i found. Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelash follicles, along the edge of the eyelid. The cause is overgrowth of the bacteria that is normally found on the skin.
-
Hanna
2010-04-17 6:36 pm Permalink
-
Re: am i getting pink eyeI have the same symtoms, except it doesnt hurt when I touch it. Mine also itches, too.
-
Amy
2010-04-15 9:51 pm Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFHi Nita! For the past 3-4 summers, I've been dealing with the same thing. It doesn't affect my vision but its incredibly irritating and i can literally peel off strands or small pieces of skin from both the inside of my upper and lower eyelid. It only happens to me around like July- November and I've seen my doctor numerous times. Ive tried bacterial drops, allergy drops, and all my doctor said was that i should see an allergist because he's never... View More
-
June
2010-02-23 2:38 pm Permalink
-
my daughter has lots of tear and yellow green dischargeHi, My daughter is 20 months old and she has bad cold, mucus, and fever, now her right eye constantly having tear with lots and lots of yellow green discharge. The doctor prescribed a drug called Fucithalmic Opht Drops 1 % Fusidic Acid, is this safe for a 20 months old toddler? Many thanks, June
-
britainny
2009-09-29 3:17 am Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFGood news! i found out what it is, a went to an eye doctor and what we have is allergic conjunctivitis, its an infection caused by allergies and what we are pulling out is NOT skin, they are cells within the eye, that explains why it hurts so bad. the doc put me on steroids and eye drops and DO NOT USE VISINE!!! it only further irritates the eyes. so go to an eye doctor and get a full exam.
-
britainny
2009-09-26 4:02 am Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFdo not feel bad because i am going through the exact same thing and so soon as i find out what it is i will let you know
-
holly
2009-09-13 2:29 am Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFi have been franticly searching, only finding about 2 results relevant to the inside eyelid skin peeling. it happened to me tonight i thought i was gonna gouge my eye out with a spoon, but then found it was skin peeling. i dont know what to do, but i'm asking anyone else who has had this problem....are you on birth control pills? perhaps that is the reason it's happening. i read up on my pills and it says that inability to wear contacts, and eye... View More
-
donna
2009-09-07 6:06 pm Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFi get this too! Im so glad that someone else has it, i thought i was going crazy!!! I cant find anything else about it online and its really getting me down! have my e-mail: delishdee80@hotmail.com I am going to the ophthalmologist tomorrow and I will let you know what he says, i wont be brushed off again! its liek thy dont believe me!! donna
-
Carol
2009-08-24 1:06 am Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFI have had the same problem for a few yers, but it only happens in august. I first thought it had something to do with mold in my old apt... cause after I moved I didn't have the problem anymore... but 2 summers ago it reapeared... I have been to many doctors and no one can tell me what it is... or they really don't listen to me... I have been to my regular Dr., an Allergist, any multple eye dr's... the last thing I was told from my old eye Dr that... View More
-
Donna
2009-07-14 1:37 pm Permalink
-
Re: Inside of eyelids, PEELING OFFI have this too, only in the summer in New England. I went to an eye doctor and he said that it was a rare condition and a combination of allergies and a virus in my system. Zaditor, antihistamine eye drops, and cold compresses to relieve the swelling of the blood vessels are the only things that help. Allergy testing to find out what is triggering it may also help if you want to go through the shots. I have had it for over 40 years and unfortunately... View More
-
olly timmy seth
2009-07-03 1:07 pm Permalink
-
am i having pink or red eye.....my eyes are always red ,itching ,burning,yellowish discharge,excess taer and runing nose.all these symptom more prominent whenever i wake up either in the morning or any time of the day .for the pass three years i have been seing an eye specialist but all to no avail.i would be glad you can reach me back through my email address.
-
Son
2009-05-03 11:37 pm Permalink
-
Is my eye infection contagious to my 13-month-old?My left eye started to feel very heavy and sore yesterday and now the end of the upper lid is swollen and a bit red. My eye itself looks fine and not even pink. I'm just worried that if I have some kind of infection, if I'll give it to my 13-month-old son. Do I need to go see my doctor immediately or is this something that'll go away eventually?
-
Thuli
2009-03-29 11:36 am Permalink
-
eye infectiontheres a yellow discharge in my daughters eye,often closing the eye in the mornings.