Allergies and Your Eyes
It’s hard to enjoy the great outdoors when you are experiencing itchy, red or watery eyes on a persistent basis. Could you have eye allergies?
About one in four individuals, both children and adults, experience seasonal allergies causing symptoms like redness, puffiness, and itchiness in the eyes. While allergies are a common culprit, they’re not the only reason. What are the causes of these allergy-like symptoms and how can we alleviate or even prevent them, to fully enjoy the outdoors?
What Triggers Seasonal Allergies?
While spring is often associated with allergies, summer and fall can also be challenging for allergy sufferers due to high pollen levels and dry conditions. These factors can lead to irritating ocular allergies. Although eye allergies do not pose a serious threat to eyesight, they can result in watery, itchy, light-sensitive, red, swollen eyes, and temporary blurriness. Some common allergy triggers include:
• Grass
• Ragweed
• Animal dander
• Feathers
• Dust mites
Eye Reactions to Allergens
Eye allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to harmless substances that come into contact with the eyelids’ mucus membranes, triggering the release of histamines that cause eye discomfort. Symptoms of eye allergies include watery discharge, itchiness, redness, a gritty sensation, swelling, and discomfort, especially for contact lens wearers. While decongestants can alleviate respiratory symptoms, they may dry out the eyes, exacerbating eye-related allergy symptoms and increasing susceptibility to irritants. Common symptoms may include:
• Itchy eyes
• Eyes that are red, swollen, or stinging
• Watery eyes
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Swollen eyelids
• Other possibilities
While the symptoms above are associated with eye allergies, other causes exist as well. These include infections like pink eye or eye strain from staring at your computer. Always speak with your doctor or medical professional if you have questions about any of your symptoms.
Treating Eye Allergies
If you suffer from eye allergies, minimizing your exposure to triggers is an effective method to reduce symptoms. You can do this by limiting your time spent outdoors while pollen levels are high. You can also use an air purifier and regularly clean your home and bedding to remove indoor triggers. Some things you can do to both prevent and relieve these symptoms:
• Stay indoors in the mid-morning and early evening when pollen counts are highest.
• Don’t rub your eyes, it can make your symptoms worse. Try a cool compress.
• Vacuum often and use a HEPA filter to prevent allergens from building up in your house.
• Keep windows closed at night and car windows closed as you’re driving.
• Avoid decongestant eye drops that curb eye redness by constricting the eye’s blood vessels. They can often make the problem worse with overuse.
• For contact lens wearers, ask your eye doctor if a switch to daily disposable contact lenses is good for you. Daily disposables may help prevent allergens from building up on the surface of the lens.
• Ask your eye doctor about prescription eye drops that combine antihistamine-mast cell stabilizers and corticosteroids, or in severe cases, ask about allergy shots.
• Consider protecting your eyes with a pair of great sunglasses from Wise Eyes Optical.
However, it is not always feasible to stay inside and avoid allergens. If your allergies are keeping you from eating lunch at an outdoor café or taking walks through the park, they are interfering with your ability to fully enjoy your life.
In this case, over the counter (OTC) or prescription medication might be a better solution, such as:
• Oral antihistamines like Claritin or Allegra
• OTC eye drops
• Prescription eye drops
• Topical steroids (only in severe cases and under the guidance of your physician)
Need Tips on Managing Allergies?
If you are having difficulty due to allergies, the professionals at Wise Eyes Optical are here to offer guidance. Our goal is to help you enjoy the outdoors to its fullest. If allergies are affecting your daily life, don’t hesitate to reach out for advice. We’re eager to assist you in making the most of this beautiful time of year. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us today.
Contact Wise Eyes Optical
Your Hometown Vision Center Serving Central Pennsylvania
Your local Wise Eyes Optical hometown vision center is here to help you achieve the best possible vision for life. We offer expert eye and vision care including eye-related medical care, custom fitting of eyeglasses and contacts, eyeglass repair, and much more. If you have questions or would like to learn more, reach out to your nearest Central Pennsylvania Wise Eyes Optical office. For assistance, call (717) 242-1915.
