The Problems With Eye Allergy

Eye allergy is not necessarily a disease in itself. Allergies can often give ocular symptoms. Especially spring allergies, like hayfever or the allergy to weed pollen can result in teary, itchy eyes, or even can cause your eyes to get red and swollen, congestion which can be extremely unpleasant. So it is possible that you get ocular symptoms without actually suffering from an eye allergy, but from another type of allergic reaction.

Why Allergy Occurs

We are built to defend ourselves from natural enemies. Each time an enemy enters our body, it’s immune system triggers an attack to neutralize and eliminate the danger. In case of allergic persons, the body sees inoffensive substances like pollen, mold or dust like they were sworn enemies of the body, so it tries to defend itself by triggering what we call allergic reactions. The chemicals which help your body defend itself are histamines, and their presence in big numbers leads to allergy symptoms like oedema, itchiness, irritation, urticaria, sneezing or chocking.

There are many possible allergens, substances that can trigger an allergic reaction. Most allergens guilty for eye symptoms are airborne. Pollen gone with the wind, mold from our basements, dust which is everywhere, and animal dander (small, exfoliated skin particles) are the allergens that merely affect the eyes, triggering those unpleasant symptoms. These are also the factors which can lead to an eye allergy, bothering you and decreasing your life quality because of the annoying symptoms.

If not treated, an eye allergy can easily lead to a condition called allergic conjunctivitis, which has as a result the inflammation and irritation of the eye tissue, and which will occur every time the allergic patient is exposed to the allergen which caused the condition.

Relief for Irritated Eyes

As there is no cure for eye allergy (not for any other kind of allergy), if you cannot stay away from the allergens which cause you pain, here’s what you could do to minimize the damage:

1. After consulting your doctor, take some over the counter local medication, like artificial tears, or liquid antihistamine products, and put them in your eyes.

2. Consult pollen bulletins (on internet or on the TV news) and stay inside your home during their peak days, if you can. It is very important not to expose yourself particularly in the afternoon and in the evening, as that’s the most dangerous moment of the day in the respect of the eye allergy triggers present in the air.

3. Get yourself an air filter which will keep part of the allergen particles away from you.

4. Take antihistamine medication as a prevention means, starting a few weeks before the pollen season comes. Always ask your doctor when you want to take any drugs, even if they are sold without prescription.

Under no circumstances should you take advice you find either on the internet or in health magazines. Your physician knows best what you need, so you need to ask him for advice on anything that you’ve read or heard and you might want to try. Allergy is merciless and your eyes are too fragile to allow them get damaged just because you acted foolishly.

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