Kids & Allergy Eyes

Allergies are very common in children, and eye allergies are no exception. An eye allergy is a reaction to some substance on the surface of the eye, which may cause your child to experience one or more of these symptoms:

Itchy eyes (frequently causing rubbing)
Red eyes
Swelling of the eyelids
Tearing or watery eyes
Feeling something is in his/her eye

Often, nasal allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, sniffling and a stuffy nose will occur at the same time as the eye allergies. But while most people treat nasal allergy symptoms, they often ignore their eye allergy symptoms. If your child is exhibiting such eye allergy symptoms, make sure to talk to your family's healthcare provider because they have excellent options to help.

Managing Your Child's Allergy Eye Symptoms

Allergens, the substances that can trigger your child's allergy symptoms, can be anywhere, from your rugs/carpets and bedding to your child's clothes and hair. By altering your child's environment you can decrease the amount of allergens they come in contact with. Here are a few tips for helping your child's eye allergies:

Clear Pollen & Other Allergens From Your Home

Keep any animals that trigger eye allergy symptoms out of your home-or at least keep them out of rooms you spend a lot of time in, such as the bedroom.
Clean your home well. Use a HEPA filter to clean your home's air.
Use allergen-free zippered coverings for your pillows and mattresses.
Wash bedding in hot water every seven to ten days.
Try to remove wall-to-wall carpeting, stuffed animals, and upholstered furniture, especially from the bedroom if your child is reactive to dust mites.
Keep your indoor humidity to below 50% to reduce the amount of dust mites in your home.

Keep Allergens Off of Your Child's Hair and Skin

When your child comes in, wash his or her face and body to remove any pollen that might have collected on the hair or skin.
Use a clean washcloth and cool water to clean off your child's eyelids. (Tears will wash the pollen out of the eyes.) This rinse of the eyelids may need to be repeated every time your child comes in, especially on windy days.
Shower and shampoo in the evenings prior to bedtime.
Encourage your child not to touch or rub his eyes.

Treating Your Child's Eye Allergies

Despite best efforts to limit a child's exposure to allergens, allergy symptoms may still take hold - especially during heavy allergy months. To help control your child's symptoms, prescription allergy treatments and allergy medications, such as PATADAY^™ solution, are available for rapid and effective relief from itching caused by allergy eyes.

Clinical trials show that PATADAY^™ solution is safe and effective for administration to children 3 years and older. Safety and effectiveness in children below the age of 3 years have not been established. A healthcare provider, such as your child's pediatrician, can prescribe PATADAY^™ solution for your child's itchy allergy eyes.

Information provided by:
David B. Granet, MD
Anne Ratner Chair of Pediatric Ophthalmology Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Re-Alignment Services Departments of Ophthalmology & Pediatrics University of California San Diego