My son is sick with the flu and he cannot open his eyes. What might this be?
JAN 02, 2013
Question:
My son can't open his eyes. He has been sick the past couple days with the flu and now he can’t open his eyes. They are not red nor do they have discharge but they are extremely sensitive to light. What might this be?
Answer:
Closure of the eyes during a flu-like disease is fairly common as the corneal surface may be irritated by the viral infection which causes us to all want to keep our eyes closed and also produces light sensitivity. The absence of discharge and redness is a good thing and makes me less concerned. However, I would be cautious as there could have been an incidental injury to the cornea or inflammation in the eye that do need an eye exam to exclude. If the problem persists or worsens an eye exam is needed.