Dr Phil Kieran: My three-year-old picked up an eye infection at playschool

With infection, the white of the eye is usually pink, and the eye can look puffy. It is not typically painful, so if the child complains, you should get the eye checked out quickly

Eye infections occur frequently in children. 

My three-year-old daughter got a nasty eye infection last year that took weeks to clear. She attends playschool, so I know there is only so much I can do to protect her from getting another eye infection. What would you suggest?

Eye infections occur frequently in children. The most common is conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the transparent layer covering the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelid. It usually shows up as a pink or bloodshot discolouration of the white of the eye and an increase in secretions coming from the eye itself — or 'eye snot' as my kids call it.