Eye Allergies

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?  If so, you are one of the estimated 50 million Americans suffering from allergies.  Do your allergies cause your eyes to be red, watery, itchy or irritated?  If so, this is called allergic conjunctivitis.  Allergic conjunctivitis can be very uncomfortable, irritating, frustrating and can even interfere with job performance and leisure activities.

There are several things you can do to help control allergic conjunctivitis.  The most obvious thing you can do is try to avoid the allergen as much as possible.  Whether it is closing the windows in your home, wearing sunglasses when outdoors, or wearing a dust mask when doing yard work, reducing your exposure is key.  Also, you want to avoid touching or rubbing your eyes as this enhances the allergy response and may introduce more allergens into the eyes.  Make sure you wash your hands often and thoroughly.  Wash your sheets and pillowcases more often than usually as they are a good place to come into contact with allergens.  If that is not enough, try over the counter allergy medications.  Keep in mind that these medications can often dry your eyes out.  If you are still experiencing symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, then anti allergy eye drops may be your best option.  Most of these are easy to administer and have a dosing of once or twice a day.

If you are a contact lens wearer, then allergy season can be especially rough on your eyes.  Allergens can build up on your contact lenses, making them and your eyes very uncomfortable.  The best option for you is to wear a daily disposable contact lens.  Daily disposables are discarded every day which avoids the allergen build up on the surface of the lens and eliminates the need for cleaning solutions which contain preservatives and disinfectants which can further exacerbate allergic reactions.