Feeling something like there’s an eyelash in your eye that you just can’t see is a frustrating experience. While eyelashes are a common culprit behind eye irritation, there’s another significant cause: allergies.
Eye allergies, or allergic conjunctivitis, happen when something, like pollen, dust or pet dander, irritates the eye. This irritation can cause red, itchy eyes and swelling or irritation to the delicate skin around the eyes. Some patients also experience a sensitivity to light.
While eye allergies are uncomfortable, there are a few ways you can minimize your symptoms.
1. Allergy Eyedrops
Antihistamine eyedrops fight back against the body’s release of histamine, the chemical that causes your allergy symptoms. They can calm your eye irritation and itchiness. You can buy allergy eyedrops at your local drugstore or from your allergist or eye doctor.
2. Lid Scrubs
Eyelid scrubs remove debris like allergens or dust from your eyelids to keep your eyelashes clean and minimize inflammation. You can get eyelid scrubs as presoaked pads, sprays or foaming wash.
3. Warm and Cold Compresses
Alternating warm and cold compresses help reduce swelling in the eyelids and unclog your meibomian glands, the glands in your upper and lower eyelids that release a thin layer of oil to keep the eyes moist. By unclogging these glands, you can cut down on irritation caused by dryness.
4. Allergy Medication
Taking oral allergy medication with allergy eyedrops is a great way to attack other symptoms like sneezing, itchy skin, congestion or coughing. You can pick up allergy medication at most local drugstores or get a prescription for stronger medication from your allergist.
5. Allergen Avoidance
It’s not always possible to rid your life of all allergens, but there are ways you can minimize your contact:
- Check the weather report. Check the daily pollen count on Spartanburg’s Weather Channel and plan indoor activities when the pollen count is high.
- Keep your windows closed. Fresh air is nice, but pollen can fly in through open windows. Keep your windows closed or place allergy screens over the ones you want to open.
- Wear goggles. It might sound silly, but goggles are a great way to keep out pollen and dust when doing yard work like raking or gardening. Grab some wrap-around goggles from your local hardware store if you plan on landscaping.
If eye allergies are putting a damper on your summer fun, contact Spartanburg-Greer ENT & Allergy today for an allergy test and treatment consultation with one of our specialists.