Ocular Allergies, Allergic Conjunctivitis

Article about Ocular Allergies from The Second Wind

Dear Doctor Weaver,

I’ve been having a real problem with allergies this year, but the over-the-counter eye drops I typically use aren’t working well. Is there anything that you would recommend to help me out?

Sincerely,
Judy

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Dear Judy,

As you are already aware, Berks County is synonymous with allergies. The pollen from the blossoming plants in the Spring to the mold of decaying leaves in the Autumn can affect Berks County residents all year long.

The hallmark symptom of allergic conjunctivitis is itching. Other common symptoms include excessive tearing, as well as redness and swelling of the conjunctiva and eyelids. Many individuals seek ocular allergy relief with over-the-counter eye drops, but most non-prescription drops have a short duration of action, can cause rebound redness, and can potentially cause symptoms to last longer than they should.

Your primary care physician may also prescribe oral anti-histamines if you suffer from seasonal allergies. These medications work very well to reduce the systemic symptoms of allergies, such as congestion, sneezing, and runny nose. However, the action of the oral anti-histamine medications can actually cause dry eye symptoms to occur, which can mimic allergic conjunctivitis. These added symptoms can include irritation, burning, tearing, and foreign body sensation, which are especially dreadful to contact lens wearers.

The simplest way to self-treat mild allergic conjunctivitis is with the use of lubricating, preservative-free artificial tears and cold compresses. The artificial tears should be preservative-free because some preservatives can cause a sensitivity reaction to cause redness and irritation. The artificial tears will wash away the allergens that can accumulate on the surface of your eye and in your natural tears. The cold compresses helps to constrict the blood vessels to decrease the amount of redness and also aids in reducing swelling and itching.

If this doesn’t help, and your over-the-counter eye drops aren’t relieving your symptoms, I would seek an eye examination in order to obtain a prescription allergy eye drop medication. Your doctor will probably prescribe a combination allergy eye drop that is a mast cell stabilizer and an anti-histamine. These two mode of actions greatly reduce symptoms of acute ocular allergy in a short amount of time. If you suffer from chronic allergies, your eye doctor may also add steroid eye drops to relieve your symptoms.

The ocular allergy treatment is tailored to each individual, so what may work for someone may not work for you. So if your over-the-counter eye drops aren’t working, I would take a break from them and use plenty of cold compresses and preservative-free artificial tears. Then, if you are still having issues, go seek an eye examination to obtain professional advice and treatment.