What are Eye Allergies?
At our Worcester office, one of the biggest complaints we get from patients is what to do about eye allergies. This is in an unavoidable outcome of living with the weather in Massachusetts. The air has tons of pollen and dust. This especially true in the Spring and Fall.
Allergy season means runny noses, itchy eyes, redness. The exact terms our Worcester eye doctors call it is allergic conjunctivitis but well just call it eye allergies. The immune system is being sensitized to the pollen, dust or other allergens in the air. The eyes become inflamed and start to feel uncomfortable.
There are two types of eye allergies, seasonal and chronic. Seasonal is the more common type and what you are now feeling with spring in the air. Chronic, though less common, continue continuously throughout the year due to dust or other allergens present year round.
What can I do to deal with my eye allergies?
The effect allergies have on your eyes can range from slightly annoying to painful. Knowing how to cope with them can improve quality of life. Tips include
- Try to stay indoors when the pollen count is high, especially in the morning or evening
- Remove rugs that tend to gather dust as hard floors will collect less dust
- Clean and dust the house frequently
- Clean the filter on your air conditioning
- Wash dirty clothes to get rid of dirt and dust
- Remove mold found in and around the home
Often, these tips aren’t enough. At that point, we would suggest various artificial tears and eye drops that can be bought over the counter. If the pain is extreme, we may even prescribe prescription drugs.
While eye allergies may be an unavoidable outcome of the wonderful spring or fall weather, with some of these tips, you can begin to alleviate the pain. Call us to discuss all the options we offer for dealing with eye allergies.