Which department should I visit for a child's red eye?
Nov 19, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
In general, when a child has red eyes, parents can choose to visit the pediatric ophthalmology clinic, ophthalmic emergency department, cornea clinic, allergy clinic, or infectious diseases clinic depending on the specific condition. Additionally, if parents are unsure about which department to visit, they may consult the hospital's triage desk. Daily education should be provided to children to avoid rubbing their eyes, maintain eye hygiene, and avoid contact with irritants in order to reduce the risk of eye redness.
Generally, when a child has red eyes, parents can choose to visit the pediatric ophthalmology clinic, ophthalmic emergency department, cornea clinic, allergy department, or infectious disease department depending on the specific condition. Details are as follows:
1. Pediatric Ophthalmology
Pediatric ophthalmology is the primary specialty for children's eye problems and is suitable for common conditions causing eye redness such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and dacryocystitis. Given the delicate nature of children’s ocular tissues, doctors in this department are well-versed in the characteristics of visual development in children. They can prescribe antibacterial eye drops for bacterial conjunctivitis, perform lacrimal duct irrigation for dacryocystitis, and effectively manage everyday causes of eye redness.
2. Ophthalmic Emergency Department
If a child’s red eye is accompanied by severe pain, photophobia, sudden vision loss, or results from trauma, an immediate visit to the ophthalmic emergency department is necessary. These symptoms may indicate urgent conditions such as corneal injury or intraocular hemorrhage. The emergency team can respond quickly, conduct professional examinations to assess the extent of damage, and provide timely treatment.
3. Cornea Clinic
When a child has red eyes along with a foreign body sensation and excessive tearing, suspected corneal inflammation or presence of a corneal foreign body, the cornea clinic should be consulted. As the cornea is directly exposed to the external environment, it is vulnerable to infection or foreign object intrusion. Specialists in this clinic use slit-lamp examination to accurately identify the issue and provide treatments such as foreign body removal and anti-inflammatory therapy to protect the cornea.
4. Allergy Department
If a child develops red, itchy eyes with increased secretions after exposure to allergens such as pollen or dust mites, they should see an allergist. Allergic reactions cause congestion of the ocular mucosa. Doctors will perform allergy testing to identify the trigger and recommend antihistamine medications and avoidance strategies to relieve symptoms.
5. Infectious Disease Department
When red eyes are accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever and sore throat, the cause may be infectious diseases like measles or chickenpox, requiring consultation with the infectious disease department. In such cases, controlling the systemic infection is the priority. Close collaboration between infectious disease and ophthalmology specialists helps prevent worsening of ocular complications.
In addition, if parents are unsure which department to visit, they can consult the hospital’s triage desk. Daily preventive measures include teaching children not to rub their eyes, maintaining good eye hygiene, and avoiding exposure to irritants to reduce the risk of eye redness.
