From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
For an 8-year-old child with a conjunctival laceration, I recommend immediate ophthalmology consultation, especially if the laceration is large or involves the cornea, and treatment with antibiotic eye drops such as moxifloxacin 0.5% to prevent infection, as supported by the study 1 which found moxifloxacin to have higher aqueous concentration and better penetration into the anterior chamber compared to gatifloxacin. The child's eye should be cleaned gently with sterile saline solution, and antibiotic eye drops such as moxifloxacin 0.5% or tobramycin 0.3% should be applied, 1 drop 4 times daily for 7-10 days to prevent infection, as discussed in the context of conjunctivitis treatment 2.
- Artificial tears can be used as needed for comfort.
- Pain management with children's acetaminophen (10-15 mg/kg every 4-6 hours) or ibuprofen (5-10 mg/kg every 6-8 hours) may be appropriate.
- Educate parents to prevent the child from rubbing the eye and to use an eye shield during sleep if provided.
- Activities that could cause eye trauma should be avoided for 1-2 weeks.
- Parents should watch for warning signs requiring immediate attention: increased pain, decreased vision, purulent discharge, or worsening redness. Follow-up with an ophthalmologist within 24-48 hours is essential to ensure proper healing, as the conjunctiva has excellent blood supply and typically heals well, but proper care reduces the risk of complications like infection or scarring, as noted in the management of conjunctival injuries 3.