Eye allergies in children

Eye allergies in children

Allergic pink eye is common in kids. It’s often a reaction to pollen, pets or dust mites. Your child might blink a lot because their eyes feel gritty and itchy. They’ll want to rub them but that makes the symptoms worse. It’s time to take them to the doctor.

When you do, you may find the diagnosis goes wider than you were expecting. Eyes and noses have a lot in common when it comes to allergies. In fact, eye symptoms are a telltale sign doctors look for when they think kids might have hay fever. Does your child have a runny nose too, and even more often than their friends?

The root cause of kids’ eye allergy symptoms (allergic conjunctivitis) and hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is the same, an overactive immune system. Any treatment plan you and your doctor discuss can deal with both conditions. Read on to find out more, including tips on how to give a toddler eye drops.

What do allergy eyes look like in kids?

The allergic reaction usually affects both eyes. The whites tend to look red and irritated (hence pink eye). Your child‘s body tries to flush out the problem particles with tears or stringy white mucus. This can dry in their lashes and look crusty. Their eyelids may be puffy too.

When you do, you may find the diagnosis goes wider than you were expecting. Eyes and noses have a lot in common when it comes to allergies.

Young boy rubbing his left eye with his hand – itchiness, burning and a gritty feeling are common kids’ eye allergy symptoms

In fact, eye symptoms are a telltale sign doctors look for when they think kids might have hay fever. Does your child have a runny nose too, and even more often than their friends?

The root cause of kids’ eye allergy symptoms (allergic conjunctivitis) and hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is the same, an overactive immune system. Any treatment plan you and your doctor discuss can deal with both conditions. Read on to find out more, including tips on how to give a toddler eye drops.

What do allergy eyes look like in kids?

The allergic reaction usually affects both eyes. The whites tend to look red and irritated (hence pink eye). Your child‘s body tries to flush out the problem particles with tears or stringy white mucus. This can dry in their lashes and look crusty. Their eyelids may be puffy too.

 Infographic about how children with allergy symptoms get their diagnosis and allergy treatment. Details of the infographic listed below
 Infographic about how children with allergy symptoms get their diagnosis and allergy treatment. Details of the infographic listed below

Eye allergy symptoms in children: Parents’ checklist

Did you know, RSVP is also a medical abbreviation? It stands for eye redness, sensitivity to light, vision change and pain. These are the important children’s eye issues to look out for as a parent. Several are also common signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis:

  • Red eyes – even bloodshot
  • Itchy eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Swelling of the eyelids, which may droop too
  • Blueish shadows under kids’ eyes (allergic shiner)
  • Burning eyes
  • It feels as if there’s something in their eye
  • Everything looks blurry to them
  • Light makes their eyes hurt

The itching can start seconds after particles land on your child’s eyes. A few hours later, a rush of tears may drain into their nose, making it suddenly run.

Girl lying on lush green grass covering her eyes with her hands – it’s summer and grass pollen can trigger kids’ allergy eyes

What triggers eye allergies in kids?

Seasonal allergies are the most common cause of eye symptoms. Grass pollen spoils the summer for lots of kids. A high pollen count usually means a flare-up of hay fever conjunctivitis.

The indoor allergy season can be all year round but may get worse in winter when your child is indoors a lot. Pets tend to cause most eye symptoms. The tiny dander particles linger in the air for longer than dust mite allergens.

Can eye allergy symptoms be anything else?

There are lookalike kids’ conditions your doctor will want to rule out. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are both very catching. So are water warts (molluscum contagiosum) and measles. Both rashes can cause pink eye.

The indoor allergy season can be all year round but may get worse in winter when your child is indoors a lot. Pets tend to cause most eye symptoms. The tiny dander particles linger in the air for longer than dust mite allergens.

Can eye allergy symptoms be anything else?

There are lookalike kids’ conditions your doctor will want to rule out. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are both very catching. So are water warts (molluscum contagiosum) and measles. Both rashes can cause pink eye.

Other allergy-related types of conjunctivitis are less common but can be more severe. The chances of your child being affected are greater if they or someone in your family have eczema and asthma, and if they’re male. Contact lenses can scratch the eye and cause conjunctivitis too. Maybe your teen is a bit careless with their contacts. It’s not an allergy but is usually included in this group of eye conditions.

Getting a diagnosis for your child’s itchy eyes: Is it allergy?

Kids usually need to have contact with a trigger at least twice to develop an allergy. There are dust mites in many homes, especially in highly populated areas, so allergic reactions might start very young. As for hay fever, toddlers may get symptoms once they’ve experienced two pollen seasons. Allergic conjunctivitis could affect many children, and does. But it seems to peak in older teenagers and young adults.

Kids usually need to have contact with a trigger at least twice to develop an allergy. There are dust mites in many homes, especially in highly populated areas, so allergic reactions might start very young. As for hay fever, toddlers may get symptoms once they’ve experienced two pollen seasons. 

If you suspect allergies ask your doctor for a referral to an allergist. The allergist will want to know about all your child’s possible allergic symptoms. Also, does anyone else in the family have allergies? Did you just get a dog?

Allergy testing may be necessary. Usually a skin prick test would be the first step, unless your child has a skin allergy then they may have an allergy blood test instead.

Allergic conjunctivitis could affect many children, and does. But it seems to peak in older teenagers and young adults.

If you suspect allergies ask your doctor for a referral to an allergist. The allergist will want to know about all your child’s possible allergic symptoms. Also, does anyone else in the family have allergies? Did you just get a dog?

Allergy testing may be necessary. Usually a skin prick test would be the first step, unless your child has a skin allergy then they may have an allergy blood test instead.

Allergy eye drops for kids and other temporary relief

An allergic reaction involves different cells in your child’s body doing different things. That’s why there are different medications for kids’ eye allergies. Some have a minimum age but your doctor can tell you all about that.

In the meantime, a cold compress may ease the itching. Keep a set of clean damp cloths in sandwich bags in the fridge so you always have one ready.

What are the best children’s allergy eye drops?

The best allergy eye drops for your baby, toddler or older child might not be the first one they try. Your doctor needs to know what’s helpful and what isn’t. So keep a note for your next visit.

Drug-free: Saline artificial tears can help to wash allergens and the cells causing the allergic inflammation out of your child’s eyes. They can be soothing too, especially if you keep the bottle in the refrigerator. This is also true of medicated allergy eye drops.

Medicated eye drops: Combined antihistamine and mast cell stabilizers are generally considered most effective for kids’ eye allergies and least uncomfortable to use. (What could be more likely to put kids off than eye drops that sting?) Antihistamine drops work quickly but the effect wears off quickly too. The mast cell stabilizer can help to damp down allergic symptoms for longer.

Child tilting their head back so mom can give them the right dose of allergy eye drops for kids and the medicine stays put
Child tilting their head back so mom can give them the right dose of allergy eye drops for kids and the medicine stays put

How to give kids eye drops

Kids are often scared of eye drops. Here are some tips to make it as easy as possible for both of you. When they’re ready, you can teach them how to put the drops in themselves.

  1. Gently clean your child’s goopy eyes with warm water, then wash your hands.
  2. Read the patient information leaflet, get the eye drops ready and put the bottle within reach. If it’s a single dose, twist the top off the dispenser.
  3. It’s often easiest to sit toddlers and smaller children on your lap or lie them down. You could also ask another grown-up to hold them.
  4. Get your little one to tilt their head back and look upwards.
  5. Gently pinch their lower eyelid and squeeze a drop into the little pocket you’ve made.
  6. Be careful not to touch their eye or lashes with the dropper.
  7. Tell your child to blink, blink, blink to spread the allergy medicine around. They can also keep their eye closed for a bit if that feels better.

1. Gently clean your child’s goopy eyes with warm water, then wash your hands.

2. Read the patient information leaflet, get the eye drops ready and put the bottle within reach. If it’s a single dose, twist the top off the dispenser.

3. It’s often easiest to sit toddlers and smaller children on your lap or lie them down. You could also ask another grown-up to hold them.

4. Get your little one to tilt their head back and look upwards.

5. Gently pinch their lower eyelid and squeeze a drop into the little pocket you’ve made.

6. Be careful not to touch their eye or lashes with the dropper.

6. Tell your child to blink, blink, blink to spread the allergy medicine around. They can also keep their eye closed for a bit if that feels better.

Sometimes kids won’t or can’t keep their eyes open. Don’t turn it into a battle. Try this instead:

  1. Position your child as before but tell them they can keep their eyes shut.
  2. Put the drop onto the corner of their closed eyes nearest their nose.
  3. They might blink naturally without meaning to.
  4. If not, keep them still – maybe distract them with a story. The eye drops will slowly seep under their lids.
  5. You can even do this while they’re asleep.

Wait a minute or two between giving different types of eye drops or you may wash away the first one before it’s had time to work.

Nasal sprays and allergy eye relief kids swallow

Corticosteroid nasal sprays can be as effective at making eye symptoms subside as they are for a stuffy nose. So your doctor might suggest trying that if your child also has allergic rhinitis.

Oral antihistamines can offer temporary relief for a broad range of allergy symptoms. But they work much more slowly than antihistamine eye drops for kids’ allergies. They can also cause dry eyes so could make your child even more uncomfortable.

Of course, always read the patient information leaflet carefully and follow your doctor’s advice.

Find an allergist

Need to take your little one to see a specialist?
We can help you find one so you can ask your doctor for a referral.

Child in a white coat playing at being a doctor – they’re using a stethoscope to examine their teddy bear
Child in a white coat playing at being a doctor – they’re using a stethoscope to examine their teddy bear

Allergy immunotherapy: Retraining children’s immune system

This works by persuading the immune system to stop being frightened of the allergy trigger by giving children regular tiny doses of it. It may only take a few months for them to tolerate their trigger better and need less short-term allergy eye relief. But it takes 3-5 years of treatment for the change to stick properly.

Allergy immunotherapy is available for certain triggers including dust mites, certain pollen and pet dander. Depending on your allergy, you may be able to have tablets or shots. Kids usually need to be at least 5 years old before they start, if it’s suitable for them.

The short version

Eye allergies are common in young children. The intense itching, redness and watering can happen alongside seasonal allergy symptoms. But indoor allergies, to dust mites or a pet for example, can cause it too. Eye drops are the common treatment, with a combination of an antihistamine and mast cell stabilizer often the most effective. Your doctor can tell you if allergy immunotherapy might be an option to give your child lasting relief.

No more tears?

We can’t promise you that (you wouldn’t believe us if we did). But you can take your new knowledge about kids’ eye allergies to your doctor and in the meantime try our tips. If you need more info then you can email us anytime. Alternatively, find us on Instagram or Facebook.

klarify takes allergy science and makes it simple, and we have rigorous process for doing this. We use up-to-date and authoritative sources of information. Medical experts review our content before we share it with you. They and the klarify editorial team strive to be accurate, thorough, clear and objective at all times. Our editorial policy explains exactly how we do this.

Last medically reviewed on 3 October 2023

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