My child says their eye hurts: what it can mean, and when to go today
The 2 a.m. question: can this wait until morning? Here are the signs that mean go today, what tends to lie behind eye pain, and how to get a same-day eye check in Malaysia.
- Eye pain with sudden onset, severe pain, light sensitivity, a change in vision or a very red eye needs urgent care, according to the NHS.
- A red eye with a severe headache and feeling sick, an injury or something stuck in the eye, or pain and vision loss in a contact lens wearer are emergency signs.
- After any eye injury, see an eye doctor or another doctor right away: you may not be able to tell whether it is serious, and quick treatment could save vision.
- A painful eye that does not look red still counts. Redness is only one of the signs.
- Do not give a strong painkiller or buy eye drops to settle the pain. Get the eye examined, and bring the bottle, lens or lens case with you.
It is late, your child is holding one hand over an eye, and the word they use is "hurts". You want to know whether this can wait until morning. That is the right question, and it has a fairly clear answer. This article gives you the list of signs that mean go today, the common causes behind eye pain, and the routes to a same-day eye check in Malaysia.
It cannot tell you what your child has. Eye pain has many causes and the sensible response depends on the other signs that come with it. What follows is a way to sort those signs, based on the NHS and American Academy of Ophthalmology pages listed at the end.
My child says their eye hurts. Is it an emergency?
It is, if the pain comes with any sign from the list in the next section. If it comes with none of them and is mild, a same-day or next-day check is still sensible for a child, since young children are poor at describing what they feel. The NHS advises urgent care when eye pain is severe, with light sensitivity, with changes to vision, or with a very red eye.
The simple rule: pain plus anything that changes how the eye looks or how well it sees is a same-day problem. Pain on its own, mild, that settles fast, is a next-day problem, but do not let it drift for days.
Which signs mean my child needs an eye check today?
Go today if the eye pain comes with any of these. The NHS lists them under urgent or emergency care:
- The pain started suddenly, or it is severe, or it keeps your child awake at night.
- Your child cannot see properly out of that eye, or sees blur, or colours look different.
- Light hurts. Your child screws the eye shut, turns away from windows or lamps.
- The eye is very red.
- There is a red eye, a bad headache and your child feels sick or vomits.
- Something has hit, poked or pierced the eye, or something is stuck in it, such as grit or glass.
- A teenager who wears contact lenses has pain and vision loss.
- Your child had eye surgery or eye treatment in the last four weeks and now has severe pain or vision loss.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology adds a point for injuries: after any eye injury, see an eye doctor or another medical doctor right away, because you may not be able to tell whether the injury is serious. Getting it diagnosed and treated quickly could save your child's vision.
If a chemical has splashed into the eye, the first sixty seconds matter more than the trip. Our article on a chemical splash in a child's eye tells you what to do before you leave.
What can cause eye pain in a child?
Many things, from mild to serious, and a parent cannot sort them at home. The American Academy of Ophthalmology lists 31 conditions linked to eye pain, including conjunctivitis (pink eye), a scratch on the clear front of the eye (corneal abrasion), corneal infections and ulcers, contact lens infections, uveitis (inflammation inside the eye), glaucoma (raised pressure inside the eye) and cellulitis (infection of the tissue around the eye). It also lists uveitis linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The NHS list includes conjunctivitis, dry eyes, infections, glaucoma, uveitis and cluster headaches.
Two of these are worth a word because they surprise parents. First, uveitis is linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and our article on juvenile arthritis and the eye explains why some children have regular eye checks. Second, a painful eye with a swollen lid is a different problem from a painful eye with a normal lid, and our article on a swollen eyelid in children tells you when that is urgent.
Ordinary pink eye is on the list too. AAO advice is that moderate to severe eye pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light or symptoms that get worse instead of better need an eye doctor straight away. Our article on pink eye in children covers the ordinary case.
What if the eye hurts but does not look red?
A white, quiet-looking eye that hurts still counts. Redness is only one of the signs on the NHS list. Severe pain, sudden onset, light sensitivity and any change in vision each make it urgent on their own, whether or not the eye is red.
The NHS lists cluster headaches among causes of eye pain, and it flags a red eye with a severe headache and feeling sick for emergency care. If the pain sits behind the eye, comes with flashing lights or zigzag lines, or follows a fever, tell the doctor all of it. Our article on flashing lights and zigzag lines explains one common headache pattern.
An adult in the house with a red painful eye, a headache and feeling sick should treat it the same way. That combination is on the NHS emergency list at any age.
What if there is a fever, or vomiting, with the eye pain?
Go the same day, and tell the doctor about every symptom, not only the eye. The NHS lists a red eye with severe headache and feeling sick as an emergency, so mention any vomiting. Cellulitis, an infection of the tissue around the eye, is on the American Academy of Ophthalmology's list of causes of eye pain, so mention a fever and any swelling of the lid too.
In a fever season, remember dengue: pain behind the eyes is a common dengue symptom, and blur or a dark spot after dengue needs an eye doctor. Our article on dengue and the eyes covers that.
Tell the doctor, in this order, what you saw: when it started, whether it was sudden, whether there was a knock or a splash, whether light hurts, whether vision seems different, and what your child has eaten or taken. Then let the doctor examine.
My child is too young to say where it hurts. What do I look for?
Look for the signs the NHS uses as red flags, because a small child shows them in behaviour. A child who screws one eye shut, turns away from lamps and windows, or will not open the eye in a bright room may have light sensitivity. A child who suddenly holds things very close, misses when reaching, or bumps into furniture on one side may be seeing differently. A very red eye, a swollen lid or a change you can see are all things to report.
Our article on the child who hates bright light explains that sign in detail. Children who cannot describe pain still make it clear. If your child is crying, holding the eye or refusing to open it, treat that as a reason to have it looked at the same day rather than waiting for words.
Where do I go for a same-day eye check in Malaysia?
Start with the nearest place that can examine the eye today. A hospital emergency department, or a hospital that has an eye casualty, can see a painful eye at any hour. An eye specialist's clinic may have a same-day slot in the daytime, so call and say it is a painful eye in a child. A klinik kesihatan can take a first look in opening hours and refer on.
What not to do is wait for a routine appointment or a pharmacy visit, if any sign in the list above is present. Do not buy eye drops for pain without a doctor examining the eye, and do not give a strong painkiller to hide it. Ask the doctor or pharmacist about pain relief for your child's age, since this article gives no doses.
Bring anything relevant: the bottle for a splash, the contact lens and its case, a photo of the eye if the redness comes and goes, and any eye drops your child already uses. If your child wears contact lenses, tell the doctor. Our article on contact lenses for children and teens explains why pain in a lens wearer is treated seriously.
For a blow or a poke, read what to do when a child is poked in the eye on the way.
- The pain started suddenly, is severe, or keeps your child awake.
- The eye looks blurred, or your child cannot see properly out of it.
- Light hurts, and your child shuts the eye or turns from lamps and windows.
- The eye is very red, or there is a bad headache and your child feels sick.
- Something hit, poked or pierced the eye, something is stuck in it, or a contact lens wearer has pain and vision loss.
Common questions
My child's eye hurts but looks normal. Can it wait until morning?
What can make a child's eye hurt?
My child's eye hurts and light bothers it. What does that mean?
My child says the eye hurts and they feel sick. Is that serious?
Should I take my child to the emergency department or wait for an eye clinic?
My child was hit in the eye and it hurts. What now?
Can I give a painkiller for my child's eye pain?
- NHS · Eye pain · www.nhs.uk
- American Academy of Ophthalmology · Pain in the eye · www.aao.org
- American Academy of Ophthalmology · Children's eye injuries: prevention and care · www.aao.org
- American Academy of Ophthalmology · Pink eye (conjunctivitis) · www.aao.org