Allergy symptoms make many many of us miserable, with sneezing and a runny nose to itchy, red, swollen and watery eyes being just a few of the physical issues that will cause us to suffer. In some cases, those eye allergies can play a role in conjunctivitis, or pink eye, and other eye infections, too. No one wants to experience that kind of discomfort! Here at Classic Vision Care, we really do care about your vision and your eyes. Today we would like to share some tips on dealing with allergies, as well as another uncomfortable eye issue – dry eyes. The most common allergens that can affect your eyes are pollen, mold, dust, and pet dander. It is not uncommon for some people to experience negative reactions to certain cosmetics or eye drops, and these can include artificial tears that are often used to treat dry eyes.
Some ways to get relief from allergic reactions you may be experiencing in your eyes can be:
- First of all, and most simply, avoid allergens. This will be by far the best approach to controlling your eye allergy symptoms. Precautions such as staying indoors on high-pollen-count days, and using high-quality furnace filters that trap common allergens, for example, can go a long way towards keeping your eyes healthy and irritant-free.
- Consider wearing glasses during allergy season, or switch to disposables that you can discard after one use, allowing you to be free from concerns about debris and allergen buildup on your lenses.
- If your symptoms are mild, ask your eye doctor to recommend an over-the-counter eye drop brand for relief; this may work quite well for you and may be less expensive than something that is prescribed.
- Using antihistamines can be a good choice, too. These reduce allergic reactions by blocking the attachment of histamines to the cells in our bodies that produce an allergic reaction. Decongestants are also helpful in shrinking swollen nasal passages, as well as reducing the size of the blood vessels on the whites of your eyes, which takes care of the red eyes you may be dealing with.
- Your eye doctor may choose to prescribe steroids for acute symptoms.
Here are some suggestions for dealing with dry eyes:
- Did you know that one of the first symptoms of dehydration is dry eyes? Making sure you stay hydrated will be an easy way to ensure that you aren’t suffering the pain and discomfort of dry eyes.
- Take short breaks from your computer or smartphone screen every 20 minutes, or move your screen back from your eyes. You can also adjust your screen settings to avoid placing more strain on your eyes than is necessary; our screen time can easily cause us to experience dry eyes.
- It may be a good idea to stop wearing contacts for a while, just to give your dry eyes a rest, too.
- Artificial tears can be a big help, and if your problem persists your eye doctor may decide to prescribe steroid eye drops to help you heal.
Any time your eyes are affected, we know you are miserable, and here at Classic Vision Care we are always here to help with eye allergies, dry eyes, and any other concerns you may have about your eyesight and eye health.
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