Dry eyes

Symptoms of dry eyes include:

• Feeling like there is something in the eye.
• Tearing or burning (or both).
• Redness.

Symptoms may get worse at the end of the day and in drafty, dry, smoky, or dusty environments.

Dry eye may also cause a type of keratitis (inflammation of the cornea). Changes in the type of contact lens and the way the lens sits on the eye may help correct this problem.

Dry eye symptoms can be especially bad in people who wear soft contact lenses. Soft lenses absorb water from the eye surface and make the eye dry. Dryness may lead to patchy loss of cells in the cornea. Trying a different type of lens may help the problem.

• Have your child take breaks often when your child reads, watches TV, or uses a computer. Tell your child to close their eyes and not to rub them. You may want to try artificial tears when your child does these activities. You can buy these without a prescription.
• Avoid smoke and other things that irritate the eyes.
• Have your child wear sunglasses that wrap around the sides of the head. These can protect the eyes from sun, wind, dust, and dirt.
• Place a cool-mist humidifier by your child's bed or close to your child. Follow the directions for cleaning the machine.
• Do not use fans while your child sleeps.
• If your child usually wears contact lenses, have your child use rewetting drops or wear glasses until the eyes feel better.
• Be safe with medicines. Have your child take medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think your child is having a problem with a medicine.
• Have your child use artificial tears at least 4 times a day.
• If your child needs drops more than 4 times a day, use artificial tears without preservatives. They may irritate the eyes less.
• Have your child use a lubricating eye ointment or eye gel at bedtime. These are thicker and last longer, so your child may have less burning, dryness, and itching when your child wakes up. Be aware that they may blur vision for a short time.
• To put in eyedrops or ointment:
  • Tilt your child's head back, and pull the lower eyelid down with one finger.
  • Drop or squirt the medicine inside the lower lid.
  • Close your child's eye for 30 to 60 seconds to let the drops or ointment move around.
  • Do not touch the ointment or dropper tip to your child's eyelashes or any other surface.
• Put a warm, moist cloth on your child's eyelids every morning for about 5 minutes. Then massage the eyelids lightly. This helps increase the natural wetness of the eyes.