Common Eye Allergens

With Spring rolling in some people are getting filled with a sense of impending dread caused by the arrival of allergy season. Every year millions of people are affected by eye allergies that cause redness, watering eyes, and itching as a result of nasal and eye allergies. If you dread the arrival of this time of year then it may help you to learn what some of the allergies are so you can take steps to defend against them. Don’t let your spring be ruined by allergic conjunctivitis (the medical term for eye allergies), learn your enemy and find out how you can defeat them!

What Is Allergic Conjunctivitis?

We’re all familiar with the concept of allergies, and some of us specifically are susceptible to allergies of the eyes. The term for this condition is allergic conjunctivitis and is accompanied by some symptoms that will be very familiar to a lot of readers. These symptoms include watery discharge that is usually clear, redness, burning, and itching around the eyes.

What Can Trigger Eye Allergies?

While we typically talk about allergies in terms such as “Hay Fever” that only accounts for one variety of allergy. Eye allergies can be the result of exposure to weed, tree, and grass pollen while you’re outside. Indoor allergies can result from dust mites, mold, and pet dander exposure, particularly if you’re allergic to pets. Other irritants that can cause this reaction include perfumes of certain varieties, cigarette smoke, and even sources like diesel exhaust.

How Can I Manage And Treat My Allergies?

Allergies are annoying, but they are also generally very manageable depending on their source. For internal allergies one of the best things you can do is get an ionic air cleaner to help remove particulates from the air so you can breathe easier with less irritation to your eyes. Wearing sunglasses can help when outdoors as it keeps pollen away from your eyes. If you’re allergic to dust mites then make sure you use mite-proof bedding covers to prevent them from living there, and wash your hands when petting animals.

For treatment you have a variety of options available, again depending on the nature of your allergies. Artificial tears are always good for cleaning irritants out of your eyes, while decongestant eye drops can help soothe the reaction. Take care with these eye drops, however, as a solid week of using them can result in the situation getting worse. Medication like Benadryl can be good, but does come with the potential side effect of drying out your eyes, which can just aggravate the situation. In severe cases allergy shots may be available from your physician.

If you’re suffering from allergic conjunctivitis and are looking for help to get back to living a full life during allergy season, contact your optometrist. Dr. Paul Trapeni Jr helps patients in the Smyrna TN community enjoy their whole year, not just the part that is outside allergy season. Make an appointment at The Optical Shoppe to explore your options for conquering eye allergies.