There are many causes of dry eyes. Most will cause decreased production of tears from the tear gland (leading to low tear volume), poor tear quality (leading to quick evaporation of the tears in windy environments or in the sun).
In that case we will have a pharmacist recommend over-the-counter eye drops to use.
Would you like to do that until your child see a doctor or go through a dry eye refresher to be sure your child is looking at dryness of the eyes in the first place?
Remember, we are not here to diagnose a dry eye for your child. Only a healthcare provider can do that.
We just want to figure out the best course of action to help your child with this suspected dryness of the eyes.
Ask the child:
Does it feel as if there is something in the eye(s)?
Yes?
With dry eyes it might feel as if there is something in the eye.
Is the eye stinging or burning?
Or scratchy?
Yes?
This is a symptom of a dry eye.
The symptoms of a dry eye include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Ask the child:
Does the eye get fatigued or tired after reading a little?
It does? Hmmm. This is a symptom of a dry eye.
Symptoms of a dry eye include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Eye fatigue after reading a little.
Is the eye tearing excessively?
Yes?
This is a symptom of a dry eye.
Symptoms of a dry eye include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Eye fatigue after reading a little.
Tearing excessively.
Ask the child:
Does your vision become blurry at the end of the day?
With dry eyes, the sight gets blurry at the end of the day.
Symptoms of a dry eye include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Eye fatigue after reading a little.
Tearing excessively.
Vision gets blurred at end of day.
Does smoke or wind irritate the child's eyes quickly and excessively?
Yes?
Symptom of dryness of the eyes. Smoke and wind irritates the eyes easily.
Symptoms include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Eye fatigue after reading a little.
Tearing excessively.
Vision gets blurry at end of day.
Excessive eye irritation from smoke or wind.
What about a little mucus discharge from the eye?
Anything like that?
Yes?
This can be a symptom of a dry eye.
Symptoms include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Eye fatigue after reading a little.
Tearing excessively.
Vision gets blurred at end of day.
Excessive eye irritation from smoke or wind
Sometimes a little mucus discharge from the eye.
If the child uses contact lenses, ask if they are getting less comfortable.
With dry eyes contact lenses become less comfortable.
The symptoms of a dry eye include:
Feeling as if there is something in the eye.
Eye stinging, burning or scratchy.
Eye fatigue after reading a little.
Tearing excessively.
Vision gets blurred at end of day.
Excessive eye irritation from smoke or wind
Sometimes a little mucus discharge from the eye.
Contact lens becoming uncomfortable.
Those were the main symptoms of dryness of the eye.
If none applied to your child, then the child may not be looking at a dry eye situation.
If you are positive that your child is experiencing dry eyes from the discussions so far, let's see what a pharmacist recommend you use as self care over-the-counter.
Or do you think you should see the nearest children's urgent care clinic to you?
