People experience allergy symptoms in a variety of ways. Itchy skin, runny nose, and difficulty breathing are a few common allergic reactions.
But what exactly is causing these problems? Allergies are your immune system’s response to potentially harmful foreign substances.
It is not a disease but a wide range of conditions. Allergies are your body overreacting to certain substances like pollen, pet dander, or dust.
In response to the allergens, your body produces antibodies to attack them. This response causes symptoms that range from mild discomfort to life-threatening.
The severity of the response depends on the person. Keep reading to learn more about allergies and how they affect your eyes.
Eye Allergy Symptoms
Your eyes can be particularly susceptible to allergies. Allergy symptoms in your eyes are not severe enough to be life-threatening. But they can harm your quality of life.
In some people, they can trigger dry eye, which can cause severe eye problems to develop if left untreated. Many allergy symptoms specific to your eyes are like allergic responses in other parts of your body.
Itchiness, swelling, and redness are typical eye allergy symptoms. You may also experience watery eyes, blurry vision, light sensitivity, and a burning sensation.
Use Eye Drops to Deal with Eye Allergies
When you are experiencing the worst allergy symptoms in your eyes, you’ll do about anything to get relief. Luckily, there are steps you can take to reduce or stop your allergic reactions.
First of all, don’t rub your eyes. Rubbing your eyes will not solve anything.
Any relief it provides is short-lived at best. In the worst-case scenario, you damage your eyes and make the whole situation worse.
When you need relief, over-the-counter eye drops work much better and are much safer. Eye drops not only hydrate and lubricate your eyes but can also flush out allergens.
You can select whichever eye drop works best for you. More liquid drops don’t last as long but don’t cause temporary blurred vision like thicker eye drops.
When applying eye drops, be sure to use a proper application technique. Remove the cap without touching the applicator tip, and then use one hand to open a pocket in your lower eyelid.
Look up and away from your hand, and squeeze drops in one at a time. Don’t blink or wipe the liquid. Just keep your eye closed and give it a few minutes before adding more drops to avoid flooding your eyes.
Reduce Your Exposure to Allergens
It’s also a good idea to limit your exposure to allergens that trigger your eye allergies. If you are allergic to pollen, keep close track of local pollen counts. Avoid going outside when they are high.
Keep your windows closed and use AC to cool your home in the summer to block pollen from entering. Also, use a damp cloth to dust your home to ensure allergens don’t become airborne.
Are you looking for extra eye allergy relief? Schedule an appointment at Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin, TX, to discuss how you can limit the impact allergies have on your eyes!
.png)
