There are a number of prescription and over-the-counter medications available to treat children with eye-related conditions. Often, eye symptoms can best be addressed by treatments that prevent or soothe allergic reactions. 

Many of these allergy drugs come in pill form. Children should not take any medications without first consulting a physician. Parents of children with eye conditions should consult a physician to avoid any potentially sight-threatening consequences of some eye conditions. In addition, overuse of some drugs can cause a rebound effect, which eventually makes symptoms worse instead of better.

Though some allergy medications are taken orally (including pills, chewables and liquids), others come in eye drops and can be directly applied to the eyes.  It is important to ensure that eye drop medication not only reaches the eye, but that it is fully absorbed so that the eye receives the maximum benefit of the drug.

Patients and/or parents of patients can also take other steps to relieve symptoms, including:

• Parents can apply cold compresses to their child’s eyes to relieve symptoms. Cold acts as a mast cell stabilizer and vasoconstrictor. A child who rubs or scratches the eyes will only make symptoms worse by increasing histamine release.
  
  
• Parents can use a saline solution or artificial tears to remove mucus or dilute allergens in the eye. Artificial tears can be very soothing to a child’s irritated eyes.
  
  
• A child’s eyelid crusts can be removed by a parent softening them with warm compresses, and using a cotton applicator and baby shampoo to wash them away. 

If medications and avoidance do not arrest eye-related symptoms, allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be considered. Allergy shots are a form of allergy and asthma treatment in which low doses of an allergen are injected into a patient over a period of time. The goal is to increase the patient’s tolerance to the allergen while reducing symptoms brought on by an allergic reaction.