Allergy Season & Your Contacts

Outdoor Allergies

Red, tired, dry eyes… It must be allergy season!

The flowers that bloom are gorgeous, but with them for many people come allergies.  Uncomfortable and distracting allergies.

Unfortunately for contact lens wearers, a majority of allergy symptoms affect the eyes.

Symptoms of Eye Allergies

These are signs you may be suffering from eye allergies:

– Swollen, red or itchy eyes

– Sneezing or coughing

– Runny nose

– Itchy nose, mouth or throat

– Headache from sinus congestion

– Fatigue or lack of sleep

Causes of Eye Allergies

– Airborne allergens like pollen, dust, pet dander and mold

– Some medications, cosmetics or topical creams can cause adverse reactions and eye allergies

– Food allergies or reactions caused by insect stings do not usually affect the eyes like airborne allergens do.

Treatment for Eye Allergies

Here are some tips to help those who suffer from allergies:

– Avoid what is bothering you!

– Keep your house extra clean to avoid itchy eyes.  Dust and pet hair can irritate your eyes further.  Keep pets off the furniture.

– Spend time inside where air is filtered.  Regularly change air filters in your home as well to make sure the air conditioning system can keep the air clean.

– Protect your eyes from irritants outside by wearing sunglasses.

– Fresh air is nice, but it can aggravate allergies.  Keep the windows up in your car to keep pollen and other allergens from coming into contact with your eyes.

– If you aren’t exactly sure what is causing your eye allergies or simply avoiding irritants does not work, you will probably need medication to remedy your eye allergies.

Photo by Melanie Tata

– Over-the-counter medications are cheaper and accessible.

– If you need something stronger, though, you will want to check into prescription medication to treat your eye allergies.  Ask your eye doctor for recommendations.

– Sometimes disposable contact lenses can help with allergies, because deposits are less likely to collect on them.

– Eye allergies can also sometimes be helped with eye drops that have active ingredients like antihistamines and decongestants.

Remember that if you have additional symptoms or your symptoms get severe, you should visit your eye doctor to make sure you aren’t suffering form something more serious.  Your eye doctor can determine what will work best based on your specific symptoms and allergies.

Allergies & Contact Lenses

Airborne allergens can easily get on your contact lenses and can also cause your eyes to produce additional lubrication or tears.  Both of these things cause deposits on your contacts and can lead to discomfort.

You can monitor pollen levels and allergen types daily in your area online at  The Weather Channel.  Your eye doctor can also sometimes recommend eye drops that help relieve eye allergy symptoms and keep your contact lenses clean and free of allergens.

For help with any specific eye allergy symptoms and conditions, be sure to visit your eye doctor.

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