Eye allergies are one of the most common disorders of the eye, affecting an estimated 40 million Americans. There are two types of eye allergies that are most common: seasonal allergic conjunctivitis and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis usually occurs during the spring and fall, triggered by outdoor allergens such as tree, grass and weed pollen. Perennial allergic conjunctivitis persists throughout the year, caused by constantly present indoor allergens such as dust, mold, animal hair and pet dander.
Itchy eyes are the most common symptom of eye allergies. Other symptoms may include redness, swelling, or watering.
What Causes Eye Allergies?
Eye Allergies and Contact Lenses
Even if you are generally a successful contact lens wearer, allergy season can make your contacts uncomfortable. Airborne allergens can get on your lenses, causing discomfort. Allergens can also stimulate the excessive production of natural substances in your eyes, which bind to your contacts and also become uncomfortable.
Ask us about eyedrops that can help relieve your symptoms and keep your contact lenses clean: certain drops can discolor or damage certain lenses, so it makes sense to ask first before trying out a new brand. Another alternative is daily disposable contact lenses, which are discarded nightly. Because you replace them so frequently, these types of lenses are unlikely to develop irritating deposits that can build up over time and cause or heighten allergy-related discomfort.
Children’s Allergies
Children's allergies are often hereditary and first appear during infancy or childhood. Most children with allergies experience allergic rhinitis (hay fever), which can occur seasonally or year-round. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis occurs mostly during the spring and fall. It's due to exposure to allergens such as tree, grass and weed pollen. Perennial allergic conjunctivitis persists throughout the year, but can get worse during certain seasons. It's caused by exposure to constantly present household allergens such as pet dander, animal hair, mold or dust. Symptoms of children's allergies can include skin rashes, asthma, postnasal drip, nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes.
Children's eye allergies can cause itching, and your child may want to rub his or her eyes to find relief. Try to discourage this behavior. Rubbing causes the release of histamines that only make itching worse. It can even cause trauma to the surface of the eye and the eyelid.
What is the Difference Between Children's Allergies and Colds?
Children's allergies and colds have similar symptoms, so telling them apart can be difficult. In general, colds do not cause a child's eyes to itch. Also, colds usually don't last longer than seven days. If symptoms continue for more than a week, it could be allergies.
Treatment
Not all eye allergies respond to the same treatments. When eye allergies are mild, the symptoms can be relieved by using artificial tears/lubricating eyedrops as needed to help flush out allergens that get into your eyes. Applying cold compresses to your eyes can help reduce the allergic reaction.
Eye allergies can also be treated with antihistamines, decongestants, and anti-inflammatory agents. These are available as both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.
Many OTC drops that treat itchy eyes contain vasoconstrictors. Vasoconstrictors (decongestants) reduce the redness in the eye by narrowing the blood vessels in a process known as "vasoconstriction." With overuse, vasoconstrictors can cause rebound redness, leaving the eyes red for a period of time after discontinuation. Fortunately, there are safer alternatives that avoid this cycle of redness. An examination can help us identify what treatments will work best for your eyes.
With allergies, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Avoidance of the allergen(s) is the mainstay of allergy prevention. If you can identify and avoid the particular agent that you are allergic to, your symptoms will improve dramatically. To further help alleviate your symptoms, you may want to try these tips for self-care at home:
- Reduce the allergen load by minimizing clutter where allergens can collect.
- Keep outdoor allergens outdoors by keeping windows and doors closed.
- Limit pillows, bedding, draperies, and other linens, such as dust ruffles and canopies.
- Minimize carpeting that can harbor dust mites.
- Clean regularly and thoroughly to remove dust and mold.
- Eliminate water leaks and standing water that encourage mold growth.
- Cover mattresses and pillows with allergen impermeable covers.
- Use allergen filters in both the furnace and the air conditioner in your home. Also, be sure to change them regularly.
- Avoid pet dander and other irritants.