Protecting Our Eyes From Allergies
Spring season is here and it’s time to rejoice. But for many people spring comes with the risk of seasonal allergies and leaves our eyes red, puffy, and itchy. But why does it happen to us every year? And the pertinent question is what we can do to help our eyes enjoy the spring season better. Let’s explore more about it.
What Causes Seasonal Allergies?
Technically, the allergies are not limited to spring. A lot of allergens exist year-round such as pet dander and dust but the allergies seem to get worse during the spring season and in the fall. If you are at the risk of developing allergy, you might spend months feeling congested with an itchy throat, puffy eyes, and lot of sneezing and coughing.
How Allergies Affect Our Eyes?
The most common-eye related allergy symptoms are itchiness, redness and watering but they can be accompanied by swollen eyelids along with scratchy feeling, burning sensation, and discomfort with contact lenses. Taking decongestants an also make the eye problem worse by drying the eyes out and leaving them vulnerable to the allergens in the air.
Preventing And Treating Allergies
There’s no way you can avoid the airborne allergens 100 % of the time but you can certainly minimize your exposure to them. Staying inside on the windy days can help. If you are supposed to step outside for yard work, wear a pollen mask. You must keep the windows shut and avoid using window fans which can blow spores and pollen inside.
In case you encounter an allergy attack, you need to stay hydrated and use eye drops if your eyes become irritated. This especially applies if you are using allergy medication that dries them out. You can also wear glasses until you feel better because contact lenses can trap allergens against your eye and aggravate the symptoms. Avoid rubbing your eyes or things will get worse.
You Can Rely On Your Optometrist
If your eyes are troubling you, it is better to see an optometrist near you. They can help in treating and preventing your eyes from allergies.