Currently, infectious pathologies are quite widespread. They may be accompanied by various symptoms, but the reason for their occurrence often lies in non-observance of personal hygiene rules. If the child’s eye turns red and festering, parents should respond to the symptom as soon as possible, as it can sometimes be a sign of a dangerous disease.
Symptom definition
If the child has redness of the eyes, the discharge of pus from them, then strong tearing, glued eyelids with yellow crusts can supplement these symptoms. In addition, the general well-being of the child may be disturbed: he develops lethargy, anxiety, constant tearfulness. Older children may complain of visual impairment, a sensation of the presence of a foreign object in the eye, discomfort, burning sensation.
Causes of occurrence
If the child has a reddened eye and fester, the reasons may be different. The most common are:
- Blockage of the lacrimal canals.
- Glaucoma.
- Blepharitis.
- The inflammatory process in the choroid of the eyes.
- Allergy.
- Conjunctivitis.
- Traumatic damage to the mucous membranes of the visual organs.
- Penetration of a foreign object into the eye.
- Fatigue, eye strain.
Let us examine in more detail why the eye turned red, watery and festering. In a child, such symptoms can speak of a certain pathology, the therapy of which should be dealt with as soon as possible.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is the most common eye disease in babies. They are classified by type of pathogen.
Does the child's eye turn red and fester? What else could be the reason?
Adenoviral conjunctivitis
This pathology is one of the most common and infectious. The child first loses his appetite, his temperature begins to rise, and headaches occur. Then the temperature decreases, the general condition normalizes. After such an improvement, a repeated increase in temperature follows, redness of the eyes occurs. Allocations from them are present, but in a small amount. Often there is an increase in lymph nodes, sore throat, runny nose. If there is a viral infection, then a small patient has a decrease in eye sensitivity, while there is no burning sensation or other unpleasant symptoms.
Herpetic conjunctivitis
This pathological process is easily recognized by the bubbles present near the eye and eyelids. In addition, the child has photophobia, profuse lacrimation.
Staphylococcal, pneumococcal conjunctivitis
If the eye turns red and festering, this may indicate infection with staphylococci and pneumococci. The peculiarity of these pathologies is that they always begin acutely. At the initial stage of the development of the disease, you can notice that the child has a very rotting eye and has turned red. After this, the inflammation passes to the other eye. Moreover, the visual organ turns red very strongly, and pus is secreted in very large quantities.
If the eyes become inflamed, reddened and festering, consult a doctor immediately.
Gonococcal conjunctivitis
This ailment often manifests itself a couple of days after the birth of the baby. It develops under the influence of an infection that can enter the child’s body through the care products or the birth canal of the mother. The main distinguishing feature of gonococcal conjunctivitis is that the child has very severe swelling of the eyelid. Because of this, the baby's eyes practically do not open. In addition, there is a strong secretion of the mucous discharge. Pathology is quite dangerous if therapy is not started in a timely manner. It can lead to inflammation, which affects the entire organ of vision.
Diphtheria conjunctivitis
This type of disease is characterized by the appearance of severe swelling, the appearance of films in the region of the edge of the eyelids. Attempts to remove such films lead to the release of blood and the subsequent formation of scars. The films disappear on their own on the 7-10th day of treatment.
When the eye is inflamed, swollen, reddened and festering, this should not go unnoticed.
Allergic conjunctivitis
This form of the disease develops in babies mainly in the early spring. The infectious process in this case affects both visual organs. The main symptom of the disease is intolerable itching. Also, there may be increased photosensitivity, inflammation of the eyelids, runny nose, nasal congestion. The disease is not contagious.
Trachoma
This disease is a chronic form of an infectious process that affects the eyes. It develops as a result of the life of chlamydia. The main danger of pathology is that in the absence of adequate therapy, a child may develop blindness. Currently, this pathology is extremely rarely diagnosed. Infection occurs through the hands, clothing, hygiene items of a person who is already infected. In rare cases, flies can be carriers.
The incubation period is 8-16 days, the lesion affects both eyes at the same time. In the early stages of the development of pathology, the conjunctiva begins to redden. The neglected forms of trachoma are characterized by inversion of the eyelids and clouding of the cornea.
The pathological process has four stages of development:
- The first stage is characterized by inflammation and the formation of large follicles.
- In the second stage, the follicles begin to disintegrate, merge with the subsequent formation of a scar.
- At the third stage, the progressive formation of scar tissue in the conjunctiva is noted.
- At the fourth stage, the scarring process is completed.
When reddened eyes and eyelids fester, it can be dacryocystitis.
Dacryocystitis
This is a pathology, which is characterized by the development of the inflammatory process that occurs in the lacrimal sac. The disease is formed because the lacrimal fluid may stagnate in the lacrimal sac as a result of the infectious process. Also, the fluid may stagnate due to patency of the lacrimal duct - the connecting element between the lacrimal sac and the nasal cavity.
The inflammatory reaction in the lacrimal opening apparatus in a baby is congenital. In adult patients, this pathology develops due to swelling of the tissues adjacent to the lacrimal canal.
Such symptoms can develop under the influence of respiratory infections, chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa.
Dacryocystitis can be of several varieties: parasitic, microbial, viral. An ocular disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Severe lacrimation.
- Swelling in the area of the lacrimal sac.
- Mucopurulent discharge from the lacrimal duct.
- The redness of the lunar folds, eyelids, conjunctiva, lacrimal meat.
- In chronic forms of dacryocystitis, the formation of purulent corneal ulcers, keratitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis occurs.
- In acute forms, narrowing of the palpebral fissures, headache, fever, chills can be observed.
In the absence of timely therapy, dacryocystitis can lead to the subsequent occurrence of internal and external fistulas, from which purulent mucus is regularly released. In addition, the lack of therapy can lead to the development of eye phlegmon - a rather serious complication.
Barley
This eye disease is characterized by swelling of the eyelid. There is a pathological process as a result of infection on the ciliary follicles. The medical name for barley is gordeolum.
There are several varieties of barley:
- Interior. Its formation occurs on the inner surfaces of the eyelid. The main reason for the development is infection in the meibomian glands.
- External. It is the most common. Focuses on the outer parts of the eyelid. Outwardly resembles an abscess.
Barley can be recognized by characteristic symptoms:
- Sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the eye.
- Increased lacrimation.
- Swelling, redness of the eyelid.
- Soreness.
Barley can develop under the influence of blepharitis or staphylococcal infection.
Diagnostic Methods
If the eye turns red and festering, what should I do? To make an accurate diagnosis, you should show the baby to an ophthalmologist. The specialist will interview parents about the symptoms and factors that could provoke the development of pathology. In addition, the characteristic of the clinical picture is important - the presence of additional pathologies, the severity of symptoms, their duration. In addition, the ophthalmologist will conduct a differential diagnosis. To do this, you will need to take a smear or scraping from the ocular conjunctiva in order to determine the infectious pathogen. After the doctor collects all the necessary information, he will examine the child and make a diagnosis if the eye is red, swollen and festering.
Therapy
Redness and suppuration of the eyes can occur in a child against various pathologies, so the treatment is individual. Therapy should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. Ignoring medical advice can lead to the development of serious complications and consequences.
Conjunctivitis therapy
If the eye reddened, festering, than to treat, it is interesting to many. During treatment aimed at eliminating conjunctivitis, the patient and all people around him should wash their hands and observe the rules of individual hygiene. Therapeutic measures are prescribed based on the variety of the pathological process.
The doctor must include in the treatment regimen the use of local medicines. It can be interferons, antiviral ointments, drops. If a child is diagnosed with conjunctivitis of viral origin, the use of Ophthalmoferon will be effective. To stop unpleasant symptoms, it is recommended to use a mock tear and use warm compresses.
During the treatment of the child, the restoration of his immunity is important, since viral conjunctivitis occurs mainly with weakened body protection. To increase immunity, the child should be given microelements, multivitamin complexes, herbal preparations that increase immunity.
When the eye reddened and festering, than to treat, it is important to find out in advance.
In any case, it is impossible to ignore viral conjunctivitis, therapy should be carried out immediately, since the inflammatory process from the mucous membranes of the visual organs can go to other tissues of the eye and cornea. This is fraught with the development of white spots on the cornea, subsequently leading to blindness. Subsequent treatment is quite complex and lengthy.
If conjunctivitis is of a bacterial nature, then the doctor must include in the treatment regimen ointments and drops that have an antibacterial effect. Drops should be used throughout the day, as ointments can reduce visual acuity. It is recommended to use them before bedtime.
To treat bacterial conjunctivitis, fluoroquinolone antibiotics must be used. These medications are effective if the disease is provoked by a gonococcal or chlamydial infection. There are situations when some organisms show resistance to antibiotic drugs. In these cases, the ophthalmologist prescribes bacteriosis to determine the sensitivity to antibiotic drugs and the appointment of another drug.
For the treatment of gonoblenorrhea, local and general type of antibiotics are used. Often prescribed "Bacitracin", "Ciprofloxacin", "Ceftriaxone."
The most effective eye drops are: "Penicillin", "Phloxal", "Okatsil."
Additionally, the child is prescribed eye wash using a solution of boric acid. You can eliminate the unpleasant manifestations of the disease through a cold compress and drops of an artificial tear.
Therapy of allergic conjunctivitis implies primarily the exclusion of contact with the allergen. To do this, it is necessary to identify which substance provoked an allergic response. In cases where the exclusion of contact with the allergen is not possible, the specialist prescribes the use of antihistamines and anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs.
Trachoma therapy
If the eye turns red, hurts and fests, then the sooner trachoma therapy begins, the less harm will be done to the conjunctiva and cornea.
As a rule, in children after prolonged therapy, many scars remain on the mucous membranes of the eyes. They provoke the distortion of cartilage, inversion of the eyelids, violation of the position of the eyelashes.
For the purpose of therapy, the doctor may recommend antibacterial solutions and ointments. The most effective in this case are: Oletetrin, Tetracycline, Erythromycin. The following antibiotic agents may also be used: Etazole, Sulfapyridazine Sodium.
In severe forms of the disease, accompanied by deformation of the eyelids, clouding of the cornea, surgery is indicated. If the disease is not amenable to therapy, the patient begins to develop dry eye syndrome and purulent ulcerative lesion of the cornea.
Therapy of Dacryocystitis
Before starting therapy, if the child has a reddened eye and is festering, dried out infiltrate should be eliminated. The child is given UHF treatment and systemic vitamin therapy. In addition, an abscess may be required. The wound resulting from the manipulation is treated with antiseptic agents: hydrogen peroxide, "Dioxidine", "Furacilin."
In addition, the use of the following ointments and drops is recommended: Phloxal, Tetracycline Ointment, Erythromycin Ointment, Miramistin, Sulfacyl Sodium, Gentamicin, Levomycetin.
Also, therapy requires systemic exposure to antibiotic drugs. It is intended to use medicines with a wide spectrum of effects: penicillins, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, when the eye is inflamed, swollen, reddened and festering.
Barley therapy
For the treatment of barley, warm compresses should be done that are applied to the affected eye. Such actions must be repeated three or four times a day until the child feels relief.
When the eye is itchy, reddened and festering, drug therapy involves the use of drops and ointments, which are based on sulfonamides. In order to eliminate severe forms of the pathological process, surgical treatment is often recommended. It is carried out in cases where barley reaches a significant size, and drug therapy is ineffective.
Preventive recommendations of specialists
To prevent the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the visual organ, doctors advise first of all to carefully follow the recommendations on individual hygiene. Never touch your eyes with dirty hands.
Children using contact correction of vision should especially carefully follow sanitary and hygienic standards.
In order to prevent gonoblenrhea in newborns, pregnant women should be carefully examined for gonococcal infection and, if it is detected, start urgent therapy. After the birth of a child, a solution of sulfacyl sodium is instilled into his eyes for prophylactic purposes. This tool effectively prevents the development of pathology.
Thus, if a child has a reddened eye and fester, then this is an alarming symptom. Parents should not postpone the visit to the ophthalmologist and the therapy prescribed by him.