If you’re a parent who has children that deal with allergies, you may have struggled with your child’s itchy eyes. The eyes are an extremely sensitive and delicate organ and have to be treated with care. The problem is that many children scratch and rub their eyes and don’t realize how much damage they may be doing.
There are countless eye drops on the market that are meant to help relieve itchy, dry, red, or irritated eyes – but are they safe for kids? And what are the best ways to apply eye drops to your child’s eyes?
SAFETY
The good news is that most all over-the-counter eye drops are safe for kids. Eye drops are typically just a saline synthetic tear material that helps hydrate and soothe the eye organs. These types of drops are usually completely safe for people of all ages. As always, make sure to read the label fully and choose eye drops that are specifically made to be safe for children.
Some eye drops contain steroids. These should only be used on children if they were prescribed directly by your child’s doctor.
USAGE
Here’s where the fun begins! In all seriousness, it can be very simple to apply eye drops to even the squirmiest child.
Start by having your child lay down on their back. Ask them to open their eyes as wide as they can and look at a spot on the ceiling (real or imagined). As they do this, line the tip of the eye drop bottle up with the eye, just to the side of the cornea. If you come from the side, your child is less likely to ‘see’ the drop coming and blink or move. For smaller children or toddlers, it may help to have another adult near by to help keep the little one distracted.
You may have to apply 3-5 drops before you land one, so take your time and stay patient!
Eye drops are a great tool to have when you’ve got a child with allergies. Find the perfect product for your family and keep them on hand for those times when itchy eyes show up.