Nothing is more irritating than the feeling that there is something in your eye. If you’re experiencing itchy eyes without an easily identifiable reason, you may have seasonal eye allergies that affect your eyes. Allergies occur when your immune system cannot process something in the environment or perceives it as harmful and overreacts. In this article, we will talk about the symptoms and treatments of seasonal eye allergies.
Symptoms and Treatments of Seasonal Eye Allergies
The immune system normally defends the body against harmful invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, to ward off illnesses. This causes the immune system to create chemicals that fight against the allergen, even though it is harmless, the reaction leads to numerous irritating symptoms. There are many different types of eye allergies. Each type has its own symptoms.
Types of Eye Allergies
1) Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis
Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) is the most common type of eye allergy. In seasonal eye allergies, people tend to experience symptoms in the spring, summer, or fall, depending on the kind of pollen that’s in the air. Some people have symptoms during early fall.
Symptoms of Seasonal Eye Allergies
- itchiness
- stinging/burning
- redness
- watery discharge
2) Perennial allergic conjunctivitis
The symptoms of perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC) are the same as SAC, but they occur year-round and tend to be milder. The other main difference is that PAC reactions are typically triggered by household allergens, like dust and mold, as opposed to pollen. Perennial conjunctivitis lasts all year. These are microscopic insect-like creatures that live mainly in bedding, upholstered furniture, and carpets.
Symptoms of perennial allergic conjunctivitis
- Red, irritated eyes
- Itchiness
- Tearing or runny eyes
3) Vernal keratoconjunctivitis
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis is a critical eye allergy that can arise year-round. If left untreated, it can severely impair your vision. Approximately 23% of patients have a perennial form of VKC from disease arrival and more than 60% have additional recurrences during the winter.
Symptoms of Vernal keratoconjunctivitis
- severe itchiness
- thick mucus and high tear production
- light sensitivity
4) Contact allergic conjunctivitis
Contact allergic conjunctivitis is the result of contact lens irritation. Contact allergic conjunctivitis is also known as contact keratoconjunctivitis, symptoms are usually effected by cosmetics, eye-drops, or other chemicals that irritate the conjunctiva in those who are permitting. Contact with these substances leads to an allergic response. Some people are sensitive to specific substances.
Symptoms of Contact allergic conjunctivitis
- itchiness
- redness
- mucus in eye discharge
- discomfort wearing contact lense
What Causes Seasonal Eye Allergies?
Eye allergies are caused by an unhealthy immune reaction to certain allergens. Most reactions are triggered by allergens in the air, these are the causes of seasonal eye allergies:
- pollen
- dander
- mold
- smoke
- dust
Normally, the immune system promotes chemical changes in the body that help fight off harmful invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. A substance called histamine is released when the eyes come into contact with an allergen.
Treatments of Eye Allergies
Treatment options vary based on the severity of your reaction, as well as the type of reaction. Allergy medications for your eyes come in the form of prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops, as well as pills or liquids.
Antihistamine treatments
Antihistamine treatments are medications that help block histamine, the chemical that’s usually responsible for an allergic reaction. Your doctor might recommend oral antihistamines such as:
- cetirizine (Zyrtec)
- loratadine (Claritin)
- fexofenadine (Allegra)
- levocetirizine (Xyzal)
- diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine (commonly cause drowsiness)
Your doctor might also suggest eye drops such as:
- azelastine (Optivar)
- pheniramine/naphazoline (Visine-A)
- ketotifen (Alaway)
- olopatadine (Pataday)
If your eye drops prick or burn, using refrigerated artificial-tear drops before the medicated ones.
Corticosteroids
- Corticosteroid eye drops such as prednisone (Omnipred) give relief by repress inflammation
- loteprednol (Alrex)
- fluorometholone (Flarex)
Mast cell stabilizers
Mast cell stabilizer treatments are prescription eye drops typically used when antihistamines are not effective. These medications stop the reaction-inducing chemicals releasing from your immune system. They include:
- cromolyn (Crolom)
- lodoxamide (Alomide)
- nedocromil (Alocril)
It’s important to note that some people are allergic to the preservative chemicals in eye drops. In this case, your doctor or pharmacist will suggest drops that are preservative-free. Other treatment options for general allergy relief include nasal sprays, inhalers, and skin creams.
Preventions At Home
Depending on the type of allergy you have, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent your allergies from flaring up.
- Pollen allergies. Keep away from going outdoors on days with high pollen counts. Use air conditioning (if you have it) and keep your windows closed to keep your house pollen-free.
- Mold allergies. High humidity causes mold to grow, so keep the humidity level in your house around 30 to 50 percent. Dehumidifiers are helpful in controlling home humidity.
- Dust allergies. Protect yourself from dust mites, especially in your bedroom. For your bed, use sheets and pillow covers that are classified as allergen-reducing. Wash your sheets and pillows often using hot water.
- Pet allergies. Keep animals outside of your home as much as possible. Make sure to wash your hands and clothes vigorously after coming into contact with any animals.