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Let's figure out what will help with this pink eye your child is experiencing.
Pharmacist

The first thing to remember is that infectious pink eye is contagious.

You should follow preventive measures to prevent spreading it or reinfection.

Secondly, nothing over the counter for bacteria related pink eye.

A viral pink eye may require no treatment except your child has a reduced immune system.

An allergy related pink eye will require some allergy relief eye drops. These are available over the counter.

With this in mind, let's use this information to figure out what will take care of this pinkeye your child is experiencing.


Boy with eye problem

 


Which of the symptoms listed below is your child experiencing right now?
Pharmacist

Boy with a pinkeye

Choose your child's symptoms from the list below and see what is recommended.

 

 

Selection require an allergy pinkeye management approach.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require a viral pinkeye management approach.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require you to see a doctor.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require an allergy and viral pinkeye management approach.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require an allergy pinkeye management approach and for you to see a doctor.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a viral pinkeye management approach and for you to seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require allergy, viral pinkeye management approach and for you to definitely seek urgent care.
Pharmacist

 

Something to prevent?

 

Preventive measures


Frequent hand washing

Not sharing eye stuff

 

All of these?
Child must have this pinkeye really bad.
Pharmacist

Please take the child to the nearest children's hospital.

 

None of these?
We must have left something out.

Please choose what closely resembles what your child is feeling and see what is recommended.

Contact Lens?
You should seek urgent or emergency care for this.
Pharmacist

Seek urgent care treatment or emergency room for this. It will get worse very fast and may require antibiotic eye drops which are not available over-the-counter.

 

Chemical?
Go to the nearest emergency room.
Pharmacist

The effect of the chemical is still going on. You have to idea when it will end and you risk damaging your eyes.

You should take the child to the emergency room.

 

Allergy Management Approach

Ketotifen fumarate eye drops    

You will use this as the first choice for fast acting and long acting (12 hr) relief from allergy-related pinkeye.

This is the most effective over-the-counter for 3 years and above. The only limitation is cost.
Good examples are Zaditor, Alaway or store brands.

Second choice
Eye drops that end with a capital "A".  Naphcon-A, Visine-A, Opcon-A, Store brand-A. 
They last for 4 to 6 hours but some contain vasoconstrictors which can cause a rebound red eye effect. Do not use for younger than 6 years of age.
Choose this if Ketotifen is too expensive for you.

See the product comparison section of this app for a good way to choose an allergy relief eye drops.

Oral Antihistamines    

Loratadine, cetirizine or fexofenadine are good examples that will help with allergy related pinkeye.

Cool Compress    

This can be used to ease eye pain.

 

 

Viral Management Approach

Warm Compress    

Use 3 to 4 times a day for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. Be sure to use separate compress for each eye to prevent the spread of infection and wash hands after using.

Clean the eye by wiping from the inside to the outside.

Artificial Tears Eye Drops    

If the eye feels gritty and dry, use artificial tears to ease eye pain especially pain on eyeball movements.

 

 

Seek Urgent Care

Your child will have to see a healthcare professional for this. Nothing over-the-counter will take care of it.

 

 

Combination Products

 

 

Worth doing

 

 

Last updated by pharmacist on 02/15/2016

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Know this about the safe and effective use of this recommendation.
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Our disclaimer

  • Recommendation is the opinion of a registered US Pharmacist currently practicing as a community pharmacist.
  • Recommendation is not an attempt to discuss all possible self care or treatment approach to this health challenge.
  • The responsibility of the recommending pharmacist is limited to this question:
    "If a patient presents with these symptoms, what will you recommend and why?"
    It is not an attempt to publish an article on the treatment of any condition. Just what would you tell a patient who present with so and so in the usual course of your practice.
  • The pharmacist image presented in this article may or may not be the actual image of the authoring pharmacist.
    Because we insist on using articles written by currently practicing community pharmacists, these pharmacists may choose to remain anonymous especially if they are employed by an employer to avoid being pressured to recommend a particular product to drive sales.
  • Please read the policies and terms of use for self-care OTC, selfcarepharmacist.com and it's affiliates by clicking on the button below.

 

 

 

 

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