Seasonal Allergies and Your Eyes

Spring is here! While warmer weather and beautiful blooms may be a welcome change, springtime also comes with unwelcome seasonal allergies for many people. Allergens can cause dry, itchy, irritated, and swollen eyes and exacerbate dry eye in people who already suffer from these symptoms. If you’re one of the 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, check out these tips to help ease the discomfort.

Keep good contact lens hygiene

Allergens can adhere to contact lenses and remain in the eye for prolonged periods. To keep contacts comfortable, only insert or remove them with clean hands. Always gently clean and rinse them well with solution. Lens hygiene is important year-round to protect the eyes from inflammation and infection, but removing irritants can also stop allergies from exacerbating discomfort during allergy season.

Wear glasses when possible

Contact lenses may trap allergens in the eye, continuously exposing the eyes to these irritants and triggering a histamine reaction. If you typically wear contacts but suffer from seasonal allergies, switch to glasses instead for greater comfort. If you cannot wear glasses, try removing and rinsing your contacts with solution halfway through the day to remove any allergens.

Keep eyes moist with eye drops or artificial tears

If your eyes are feeling dry due to allergies, artificial tears can add moisture to your eyes and flush away allergens that might be sticking around. Artificial tears can be purchased over the counter, but buy preservative-free drops. Be aware that anti-allergy eye drops can worsen dry eye symptoms. If you consistently suffer from dry eye symptoms, you may be a candidate for prescription-strength artificial tears that treat dry eye rather than allergy symptoms. Schedule an appointment with one of our experts at Better Vision New Jersey to see if dry eye treatment would benefit you.

Keep up with eye appointments

Regular visits with your eye care professional keep your eyes in check, but they are also great opportunities to ask your doctor questions about your allergy symptoms. Your doctor may be able to help you find solutions. If other issues, such as conjunctivitis or dry eye, are causing your discomfort, a visit to our office allows those problems to be diagnosed and effectively treated.

Book your appointment!

We hope you enjoy spring and are free of sniffles, sneezes, or itchy eyes! If you have any concerns about allergies impacting your eyes, or if you are ready to schedule your next appointment, give us a call today!