Eye Health: take care of your children!

We are now facing a very important challenge: Covid-19 changed our habits, making people and families’ certainties uncertain.

The fear of the virus, together with the government regulations, kept us away from the emergency departments, hospitals and doctors’ offices, prompting people to take less care of themselves and underestimate other pathologies.

In this context, the digital revolution is helping us to build a long-distance dialogue between doctors and patients through telemedicine and remote consulting.

Despite all this, the previous described services are not always used by people who rather prefer to find a solution to their healthcare problems by themselves. Without a medical advice, people and kids’ health problems can easily get worse.

With all this in mind, fathers and mothers truly need more science-based information that can help to better protect their children.

Consequently, collecting information about the most common eye infections of babies and children becomes a priority.

The most common eye infections of babies and children

Eye infections occur when bacteria, fungi or virus attack the eyeball and/or the areas that surround it. The infected areas can be the cornea (the transparent layer forming the front of the eye), the tear film and the conjunctiva (the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids).

The bacterial conjunctivitis is the most common eye infection in babies and children.

To be more specific, babies can suffer from eye infections after their birth – in this case the conjunctivitis is caused by sexually transmitted pathogens – or from conjunctivitis caused by chemical substances and other bacteria with which they come in contact.

Older children can be affected by conjunctivitis through contaminated objects (i.e. towels, sheets, clothes and toys) or after a direct contact with other children who suffer from the same infection (this contact usually occurs in crowded places such as schools).

Symptoms can vary depending on the cause of the infection, but some of them occur in every kind of conjunctivitis:

• Red eyes
• Burning
• Swelling
• Itching
• Feeling of having something inside your eye
• Lacrimation increase and crusting

Eye hygiene and good correct diet

Considering that kids do not possess a full eye protection and immune system, it would be appropriate to use daily wet wipes which help to clean both the eyelids and the eyelash. In this way it is possible to reduce irritation - which can easily get worse -.

Here some suggestions:

• On one hand, in presence of mucopurulent secretions, crusting and other symptoms of conjunctivitis, parents can apply warm compresses on the infected area using wet wipes which have been previously warmed up.
• On the other hand, in presence of itching and swelling, cold compresses can be applied for a decongestant effect

Just take in mind that the previous tips should be taken into account while waiting for an appropriate medical consult!

Finally, remember that a diet rich in Vitamin C, D, magnesium, iron, omega 3 (which can be found in fruit, fish and vegetables), zinc and selenium (contained in milk and dairy products) can help to strengthen our kids’ immune system.