Spring is in the air and that means chirping birds, blooming flowers and unfortunately for many – itching and watery eyes due to seasonal eye allergies. If you’re one of the millions who suffer from these allergies, you understand the struggle. Sneezing and congestion are some common symptoms, but seasonal eye allergies also come with additional symptoms that can be just as disruptive, that can affect your comfort and your vision.
What Causes Seasonal Eye Allergies?
Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, the official term for eye allergies, is triggered by airborne allergens like pollen, mold spores, and pet dander. When these allergens come into contact with your eyes, your immune system releases histamine, leading to these classic symptoms:
- Itching
- Redness
- Watering
- Burning
- Swelling
- Sensitivity to light
While spring is notorious for pollen, allergies can linger throughout the year. Ragweed in the fall, mold in damp summer weather, and even indoor allergens like pet dander during winter can all irritate your eyes.
Relief Tips for Spring and Beyond
Thankfully, there are several strategies to combat seasonal eye allergies and find relief:
- Minimize Exposure – minimizing the amount of time you come into contact with allergens can make a big difference in lessening your symptoms. Some easy ways to do this would be to track pollen counts on your phone every morning, keep your windows closed when counts are high, use air purifiers in the house and wear sunglasses when heading outdoors.
- Over-the-Counter Remedies – your local pharmacy can provide some relief as well. Lubricating artificial tears can wash away allergens and soothe irritation, while antihistamine eye drops can help with itching and redness. Additionally, oral antihistamines can help with overall allergy symptoms, including irritated eyes.
- Practice Good Hygiene – properly caring for your eyes can certainly help with the effects of seasonal eye allergies. For example, avoid rubbing your eyes, as this can worsen irritation and spread allergens. Also, frequent hand washing can help prevent transferring allergens to your eyes. For those who wear contacts, always stick to your prescribed directions for cleaning and replacing them, or even consider switching to daily disposables during allergy season.
Consulting Family Vision Development Center for Seasonal Eye Allergies
While over-the-counter remedies offer some relief, our team can play an important role in managing seasonal eye allergies. Here’s how we can help:
- Accurate Diagnosis – Following a vision exam, we can differentiate between allergic conjunctivitis and other eye conditions that may mimic allergy symptoms, such as dry eye or infections. This ensures you receive the appropriate treatment.
- Prescription-Strength Relief – For persistent or severe allergies, we can prescribe stronger antihistamine or mast cell stabilizer eye drops. These medications provide more effective and longer-lasting relief than over-the-counter options.
- Personalized Treatment Plans – We’ll assess your specific symptoms and lifestyle to create a tailored treatment plan. This may include recommendations for specific eye drops, contact lens adjustments, or environmental modifications.
- Managing Contact Lens Irritation – If you wear contact lenses, we can recommend daily disposable lenses or specialized cleaning solutions to minimize allergen buildup and irritation. We can also assess if your current contact lenses are contributing to your discomfort.
- Identifying Underlying Issues – In some cases, allergies can exacerbate existing eye conditions. We can identify these issues and provide appropriate management strategies.
- Monitoring and Follow-up – We’ll monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed to ensure optimal comfort and vision.
If you are suffering from seasonal allergies, and over the counter medications aren’t helping, call 630-862-2020 to schedule an appointment today so we can discuss other options to keep your eyes comfortable all season long.
Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear.