Allergies

Caused by the same irritants as hay fever, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing, eye allergies commonly affect those who suffer from other allergy symptoms. Not only do eye allergies cause discomfort, but they can also interfere with daily activities.

Eye Allergy Causes

Medically referred to as allergic conjunctivitis, individuals who are predisposed to allergic reaction experience eye allergies when they come into contact with allergens (substances which prove harmless to others, like pollen, mold, dust, and pet dander). In addition to these allergens, some eye allergy sufferers also experience reactions to perfumes, smoke, cosmetics, insect bites/stings, foods, and the preservatives found in eye drops.

When an allergy sufferer’s eyes come into contact with an allergen, his or her immune system reacts, and cells known as mast cells release histamine to try to combat the allergen. Histamine causes the symptoms associated with eye allergies.

Eye Allergy Symptoms

When mast cells in the eyes release histamine to fight off allergens, the eye lids, conjunctiva (membrane covering the underside of the eyelid), and sclera (white of the eye) become irritated. This leads to swelling, redness, watering, burning, and itching. Severe eye allergies can also cause light sensitivity. Though it appears similar, unlike pink eye (bacterial or viral conjunctivitis), allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious.

Who Is at Risk?

Eye allergies affect up to 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children. While anyone can be born with or develop allergies, people whose parents suffer from allergies are more likely to have allergies.

Diagnosis and Treatment

If you suffer from eye allergy symptoms, an eye care professional can provide you with a proper diagnosis, ruling out bacterial or viral conjunctivitis. Often over the counter eye drops formulated for allergy relief are often sufficient treatment. If they do not provide enough relief, an eye care professional can recommend or prescribe other methods of treatment such as decongestants, oral antihistamines, eye drops with antihistamine and mast stabilizer, corticosteroids, or immune therapy shots.

Eye Allergy Prevention

The best way to prevent eye allergies is to avoid eye allergens. Keep windows closed and stay indoors as much as possible during allergy season, replace air conditioning filters with high quality filters that trap allergens, reduce exposure to animals, wash bedding in hot water to remove allergens, and reduce humidity in the home to prevent mold growth.

UV Radiation and Your Eyes

Optometry warnings about the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation on our eyes have not yet reached the degree of public awareness of that of skin damage. Yet, the sun can be just as damaging upon our eyes with unprotected exposure. Short-term exposure to very bright sunlight can result in a type of sunburn to our eyes regardless of the season. Photokeratiitis — also known as “snow blindness” and “flash burns” — is a sunburn to the eye’s cornea and conjunctiva, the membranes lining the eyelids and the outermost lining of the eye. Like a skin sunburn, the initial inflammation, pain and redness can last up to 48 hours before subsiding. Treatment such as cold cloths over the eyes and an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can help relieve some of the painful symptoms, but the best treatment is prevention best obtained by wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim.

The Damage Adds Up

One day on the beach and a couple of days of sore eyes doesn’t seem like much, but eye care providers warn that the effect is cumulative and the damage increases with every day of unprotected overexposure. Long-term damage goes beyond crow’s feet from squinting in the bright sunlight. Years of unprotected exposure to the sun can result in increased chances of cataracts, damage to the retina, macular degeneration, cancer of the eye itself and cancer of the eyelid. Pterygium, a recurring condition where the conjunctiva grows over the cornea to restrict vision, requires repeated surgeries to keep in check is also common.

Not All Sunglasses Are Equal

Any pair of sunglasses is better than wearing none at all, but not all sunglasses provide the same degree of protection to the eye. Ask your eye care provider for recommendations to fit your lifestyle and your budget.