Blog for Elite Vision Care

Do your eyes get itchy, red, watery, and uncomfortable without fail every spring? If so, you might suffer from seasonal allergies. Many people experience eye-related allergy symptoms each year, but don’t realize that the problem stems from allergens in the air. Instead, they think they are experiencing an eye infection.

Seasonal allergies affect people in different ways. From uncontrollable sneezing to eyes that won’t stop watering, the symptoms can be uncomfortable and relentless. Luckily, there are ways to stave off or minimize the effects springtime allergies have on the eyes.

Here’s a list of common ways the eyes are affected by seasonal allergies:

Redness
Itching
Burning
Clear, Watery Discharge

If your eyes are showing other symptoms, such as severe pain, light sensitivity, a thick discharge, or a gritty feeling, you might have a viral or bacterial infection. It’s essential to visit your eye doctor right away if you think you have an eye infection so it can be appropriately treated with proper medication.

Are Seasonal Allergies Contagious?

Unlike a viral or bacterial eye infection, you cannot transfer eye allergies to another person. However, if there is more than one person in your household with the same intolerance to allergens, you may both display the same symptoms simultaneously. Understanding the difference between eye allergies and eye infection symptoms is important for treating the problem.

Eye Allergy Treatments

There are several approaches to try when it comes to treating eye allergies. Some methods work better than others, so if one does not alleviate your symptoms, it’s crucial to try another line of attack. The simplest way to relieve eye allergies is to avoid the allergen that is triggering your symptoms completely. However, aside from packing up and moving to another city or state, avoiding seasonal allergies might be impossible.

Following is a list of standard methods and products that may help you get through the allergy season with as few symptoms as possible:

Keep windows and doors closed to keep as many allergens out of your home as possible
Use an air conditioning system that cleans the air and traps allergens in a filter
Wear sunglasses when you are outdoors to prevent allergens from flying into your eyes
If your eyes itch or burn, try not to rub them, because rubbing can make your eyes feel worse
Use recommended eye drops to help keep your eyes moist and remove allergens from your eyes
Take an over-the-counter decongestant or antihistamine medication that are known to relieve allergy symptoms

If none of the abovementioned suggestions provide adequate relief, visit your eye doctor. There are steroid eye drops and even allergy shots that can help.

There’s no reason to live with symptoms of seasonal allergies when there is help available! Elite Vision Care in League City, TX, sees patients every spring from eye allergy symptoms. Call us at (281) 554-7080 to schedule your appointment today.