Conjunctivitis is unpleasant at any age: discomfort, discharge from the eyes cause considerable discomfort. Nevertheless, children are more likely to encounter this problem than adults. Including completely ill children who are not even a year old. In most cases, defeating an ailment is not difficult. The main task in this case is to choose the “correct” drops or ointments for conjunctivitis for the youngest children.
Conjunctivitis may be due to a bacterial, viral infection or allergy. Depending on what caused the problems with the eyes, and you need to choose a medicine. Of course, the doctor should prescribe the treatment, but before examining it, by some signs, you can determine the nature of the disease and begin treatment.
Allergic conjunctivitis in newborns is a very rare phenomenon. Usually it occurs in those older than 3-4 years. However, even if allergic conjunctivitis has killed a baby up to a year, the treatment consists in removing the allergen and taking anti-allergic drugs. Corticosteroids, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, are not prescribed in the form of eye drops to such small children. But we will talk more about drops for the treatment of bacterial and viral conjunctivitis.
We treat bacterial conjunctivitis
The most common form of conjunctivitis. To bring pathogenic bacteria to the shell of the eye can both the baby and parents.
When children are actively exploring the surrounding space, keeping track of the child’s clean handles is difficult. Touching everything in succession, the baby collects a lot of bacteria on its fingers, and then, for example, can rub its eyes and “deliver” pathogens to the mucosa.
Parents can, unknowingly, not follow the rules of hygiene and wipe the baby with one towel after washing and after washing, spreading bacteria from the organs of excretion throughout the body.
Bacterial conjunctivitis can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the eye of a child. (The child rubs his eyes, there is a sensation of a foreign object in the eye);
- Yellow crusts appear on the eyelids;
- Separating from the eye suppuration / lacrimation (gray or yellow, seemingly cloudy and viscous, most often noticeable after sleep);
- Stuck together eyelids.
A newborn baby does not yet have tears, so if any discharge from the eyes appears, it can be a sign of conjunctivitis, which means that you need to consult a doctor.
Video: conjunctivitis in children: prevention and treatment
1. Drops Futsitalmik
This drug is a topical antibiotic. Futsitalmik is a viscous suspension of white color. Thanks to this dosage form (viscosity), Futsitalmik is able to stay on the conjunctiva for a long time.
The drug is used conjunctivally, that is, it is buried in the conjunctival sac of the eye. Method of application: 1 drop twice a day for a week. If it does not help within 7 days, you need to review the treatment.
An open bottle is stored no longer than a month.
The average price of Futsitalmic drops in pharmacies is 350 rubles.
2. Drops Albucid (Sulfacyl Sodium)
An antimicrobial drug, which is an aqueous solution of sulfacetamide. For the treatment of children, only 20% solution is used (the dosage can be clarified in the pharmacy). Burning may be felt after instillation.
Albucid is dripped into the conjunctival sac 4-6 times a day, 1-2 drops in advance, after warming the bottle to room temperature.
An open bottle is stored for no longer than 4 weeks.
The average price of drops of Albucid in pharmacies is 55 rubles.
3. Drops Vitabakt
A broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. Vitabact is instilled 1 drop 2-6 times a day. The course of treatment is designed for 10 days, but can be expanded if necessary.
The average price of Vitabact in pharmacies is 250 rubles.
4. Erythromycin ointment
Ointment should be laid for the lower eyelid 3 times a day. The duration of treatment depends on the severity and form of the disease, but should not exceed 2 weeks.
The average price in pharmacies is 27 rubles.
Before use, consult your doctor.
5. Tobrex (ointment and drops)
Drop the drops 5 times a day (every 4 hours), 1 drop under the lower eyelid, ointment is laid at night under the lower eyelid.
We treat viral conjunctivitis
Viral conjunctivitis usually accompanies catarrhal viral diseases (SARS, influenza). The disease manifests itself in that along with the symptoms of a cold, severe lacrimation begins, itching in the eyes. Unlike bacterial conjunctivitis, there is no purulent discharge in the viral conjugation that causes eyelash adhesion. Conjunctivitis begins with one eye, but soon switches to the second.
1. Drops Ophthalmoferon
This drug has an antiviral and immunomodulatory effect. It activates local immunity and enhances regenerative processes in the cornea. Depending on the severity of the symptoms of conjunctivitis, drops are instilled from 2 to 8 times a day, 1-2 drops in each eye. Ophthalmoferon is dripped on average 5 days.
The average price of Ophthalmoferon in a pharmacy is 300 rubles.
2. Drops Aktipol
An antiviral agent that stimulates the production of its own interferon. Actipol quickly relieves swelling and heals the affected cornea. Dripping Actipol 3-8 times a day, 2 drops in both eyes. Even with the disappearance of conjunctivitis symptoms, the drug should be used in a full course from a week to 10 days.
The average price of Aktipol in a pharmacy is 150 rubles.
3. Ointment Zovirax
A strip of ointment 10 mm long should be placed under the lower eyelid in the lower conjunctival sac. Apply 5 times a day every 4 hours. Perform treatment for another 3 days after healing.
The average price of 300 rubles
Treatment advice
Even if only one eye is affected by conjunctivitis, drops must be instilled in both: in the patient - for treatment, in healthy - for prevention. Moreover, when instilling, you can not touch the eye cornea with a pipette. If this happens, the pipette needs to be processed before the next instillation. This measure is necessary so that the pipette does not spread the infection and does not provoke re-infection.
- As soon as you notice signs of conjunctivitis, rinse the baby’s eyes every two hours on the first day: if there are crusts on the eyes, remove them with a cotton pad / cotton bud moistened with furacilin or a decoction of chamomile. Rinse each eye with a new cotton pad. (See detail How to care for the eyes of a child);
- The following days, wipe the eyes 2 times a day (for a week);
- Choose drops or ointments from the list above and apply according to the instructions;
- Do not forget that you need to drip or smear both eyes, even if the disease is on one.It is important;
- In no case with conjunctivitis, do not cover the eye with a bandage! Under the bandage, conditions are created for the reproduction of bacteria.
The kids transfer the drops into the eyes quite calmly, so if you start treatment on time, conjunctivitis will quickly recede and will not annoy mom and the baby.
Read on
My baby's eyes were badly rotting at 3 months old, he couldn’t even open them in the morning, the pus dried up. We pediatrician prescribed drops of levomycetin. One jar cost about 50 rubles. I dripped 2 times a day, 2 drops in each eye. After 3 days everything went away. I believe that you can’t prescribe treatment yourself for a child, especially a baby up to a year old. It is better to contact your pediatrician, doctors will better determine the cause of the disease and write out the right prescription!
Hello! I would like to say for those who are faced with this problem. To cure all this is quite simple without buying expensive drops and ointments. I always use sulfacyl sodium, and everyone knows about its properties, it was also used by my parents, so this drug is reliable. It’s generally worth a penny, there will be improvements the very next day. After having been dripped - do not let the child rub his eyes, let him tolerate a little (just for our child it is quite difficult). Chamomile broth also helps everyone. I apply moistened cotton pads to my eyes for a couple of minutes.
I personally used Ophthalmoferon when a child was ill with this disease. I dripped 4 drops 2 times a day. I also wanted to add that I treated for more than 5 days (as indicated in the description). But in the end, I cured them with these drops, so I recommend this drug from the entire list.
and here we have an even stronger allergy to chamomile ((I used my phloxal to drip my daughter, so she immediately had redness, and there were no problems, now we always carry it with us