Hi Welcome to the HCM For a simple black eye that s nothing more than a bruise, you can give your child the appropriate dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen if he s uncomfortable. If there s swelling and your child can tolerate it, you can apply an ice pack for 15-minute periods several times a day during the first 48 hours. The blue/black coloring of a black eye is caused by blood pooling under the thin skin of the eyelid and the area around the eye. This can happen after trauma to the eye area, and in this case you ll want to make sure that the eye hasn t been injured. But it can also happen because of trauma to the forehead. Check with your doctor to make sure that your child s black eye is simply a bruise, especially if you re not sure how it happened. If both of your child s eyes are black after a head injury – or if he has a nosebleed or bleeding in the white of his eye – his doctor will probably want to check him out. If your child is having vision problems, isn t able to move his eye normally, or is in severe pain, he needs immediate medical attention. Take him to the emergency department.