Kids often injure their eyes while playing. Most eye injuries are minor and can be treated at home but some injuries may need immediate medical attention. Minor injuries could be soap going into the eyes or dirt inside an eye. Major injuries can happen due to a fall or maybe playing during some games such as baseball, basketball, hockey, and kabaddi. As a leading eye hospital in West Bengal, we share useful insights for parents on how to respond to a child with an eye injury and when you should consult paediatric eye doctor:
1. Signs and symptoms of an eye injury:
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- The child has redness in and around the eyes
- The child may have a stinging and burning sensation in the eye
- He or she is experiencing constant watering from the eyes
- He or she is experiencing sensitivity to light
- There’s swelling of the eyelid
- The child is experiencing blurred vision
- There’s discolouration around the eyes of the child.
2. Foreign particles inside the eyes:
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If your child complains about some foreign particles such as dirt, small insect and soap inside the eye or experiencing minor irritation, here’s what you can do:
- First, wash your hands before touching your child’s eye area
- Ask your child to not rub as it may worsen the situation
- Flush the eyes with clean water.
- Pull down the lower lid and gently put water over the eyes, it will bring out the foreign particle from the eyes
- Again flush the eyes with cold water or put on the cold gel eye mask to provide relief, once the foreign particle is removed
3. Situations when your child needs to see a paediatric eye doctor
- If there is something stuck in the eyeball of your child
- Situations when the eye got hit by a ball or other heavy object
- Severe irritation in the eyes could be due to some eye infection
- Visible redness in and around the eyes
- Experiencing continuous eye pain
- Swollen eye area
- If your child is experiencing sudden light sensitivity
- If your child is experiencing difficulty in seeing objects
- If your child gets chemicals into the eyes
- Bleeding or blood clots inside the eyes
In any of the above cases, it is advisable to take your child immediately to the nearest eye hospital for immediate medical care. Parents should not delay as the eyes are one of the most sensitive body parts and need special care.
Here’s a useful read on questions you should ask your child’s eye doctor to make the most out of your appointment. Remember, if your child has no problem in the eyes, even then you must take them for an annual eye examination.
If you live in Kolkata and searching the internet with terms such as “ paediatric eye doctor near me”, or “best pediatric ophthalmologist in Kolkata”, visit Disha Eye Hospitals. We are among the leading eye hospitals in Kolkata. We have a dedicated paediatric ophthalmology unit. Our paediatric doctors treat paediatric strabismus, paediatric cataracts, amblyopia, retinopathy of prematurity and paediatric glaucoma. Find the nearest branch to book an appointment with our doctors.