One of the most common and challenging issues that many people face is eye allergies (Allergic conjunctivitis). Allergic conjunctivitis usually occurs when a person's eyes come into contact with an allergen, an entity that effects the immune system to overreact.
You may find evidence of an eye allergy, including watery and itchy eyes, which become sore and inflamed. Symptoms appear because the immune system overreacts.
You can find the most prominent allergy symptoms when your eyes itch. Usually, both eyes have this problem; however, one eye can be much worse.
The most common of all the allergies are the summer and spring allergies compared to other seasons. However, a person can suffer from severe allergies such as walking on grass, dust, traffic pollution, and even airborne pollen. In addition, people who suffer from moderate to severe eye allergies or conjunctivitis should know how tough they are.
In this informative article, we will discuss various ways that can help relieve allergies and itchy eyes.
Averting the allergens: Keeping your home clean, minimizing soft furniture, and remaining indoors when pollen counts are high can benefit you.
Use artificial tears: Artificial tears are eye drops that curtain allergens and aid in removing them from the eyes.
Avoiding Contact Lenses: They should be avoided until the symptoms of eye allergies have vanished. It is advisable to wait for at least 24 hours after completing your medication before you can go back to using eye lenses.
Don't rub your eyes: Ensure you do not rub your face, this may be difficult to do when the eyes are itching, but you must do your best not to rub it as it can aggravate the inflammation.
Cold compress: You can use a gotten pad, soak it in cold water and place it on the eyelid to soothe the eyes.
Drug treatments: Drug treatment that can be gotten over the counter can help. The drug treatment includes antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, and corticosteroids.
Please make use of eyeglasses: Making use of eyeglasses will prevent other allergens from coming in contact with your eyes, and it prevents worsening eye allergies.
What are The Symptoms of Eye Allergies
Symptoms can emerge instantly once the eye comes into connection with the allergen. But there are some cases when it might take a more extended time to appear, like when using particular eye drops causes the reaction.
Symptoms of Eye allergies include:
- Red or pink eye
- Pain
- Itchiness
- Swollen eyelids
- Soreness
- Tearing eyes
- Sensitivity to light
Provocative Eye Allergy
Like other allergic reactions, eye allergies are caused by damage to the immune system, the body's natural defense mechanism. This leads to the release of a chemical called histamine, causing inflammation and swelling of the eyelids. As a result, the blood veins in your eyes surge, and your eyes turn red, watery, and itchy.
You are likely allergic to the following:
- Pollen from pasture, weeds and trees
This is one of the most widespread types of allergy among humans, and it is referred to as seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.
- Dust and other indoor allergens
This type of allergy occurs at any time of the year. However, it usually happens when the house is dusty.
- Makeup, perfume, or other chemicals
This type of allergy is caused when a chemical substance comes in contact with your eyes. This type of allergy is called contact conjunctivitis.
Contact lens allergy, known as papillae conjunctivitis, can cause swelling inside your eyelids, making your eyes tender and red. The use of contact lenses causes this allergy.
Preventing Eye Allergies
Use Medicated Glasses And Sunglasses
Today's the most major problem is pollen and other allergens that make our eyes grieve from severe infections. We must wear the right sunglasses if we go anywhere with a risk of eye contamination. Using prescription glasses and sunglasses reduces the intensity of allergens that can quickly enter our eyes. Selecting eyeglasses will cover your eyes adequately.
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Make use of good quality glasses and eye lenses
Experience is that people who wear contact lenses face more allergy problems than prescription glasses. Because dust and other particles enter your eyes more efficiently, you should regularly wear safety glasses to protect your vision. You have a higher chance of having an eye allergy when using low-quality contact lenses.
A good quality pair of glasses is another excellent way to protect your eyesight from harmful elements. Today, very high-quality lenses are used to protect your eyes from external allergens.
Use artificial eye drops to relieve
If you ever find yourself in a situation where your eye allergy results in sore eyes, artificial eye drops are a beautiful way to relieve sore eyes. These eye drops are accessible at almost every drugstore today. Repeated use refreshes the eyes and protects them from drying out.
The tear film can significantly reduce allergy problems, so removing particles and other allergens from your eyes will help you as you get used to using artificial tears. However, in some crises, you must consult your eye doctor, who can recommend a suitable allergy eye drops guide.
Try To Keep The Window Close
It's almost impossible to have this option every time because you can't stay some of the time indoors. However, you can close your windows whenever you are in a car or bedroom to make your surroundings free from pollution as much as possible.
The best way to protect the environment from dust and pollen from outdoor allergens is highly recommended by consultants to close the house's windows. Change the air filter in your air conditioner frequently.
Complications
Complications of allergic conjunctivitis are rare. However, eye allergy can negatively affect the quality of a person's life though it usually does not have a long-term effect on eye health.
When there is a complication to eye allergies, the cornea can become infuriated, known as keratitis. If not attended to quickly, it can lead to corneal ulceration, which increases the chances of damaging the eyesight and can eventually cause permanent vision loss.
Symptoms of keratitis are:
- severe discomfort in the eye
- sensitivity to light
- clouded vision
- feeling something in the eye
- wet eyes
If these symptoms appear, the person should see a doctor.
SUMMARY
The eyes are one of the most precious organs in the body, and it is imperative to protect and take good care of them at all times. Unfortunately, this type of environment usually causes eye allergies, and if not well taken care of, it can lead to short-term eye defects and even permanent vision loss.