You Didn’t Know to Ask Your Doctor About Eye Allergies

Can you name all the unpleasant signs of allergies? If you are one of the millions affected by allergies, this list of symptoms should appear familiar: sneezing, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, itchy, burning and watery eyes. Often the most irritating symptom on this list are the red, weepy, burning eyes that are often a result of exposure to an allergen.

The embarrassment of appearing to cry while talking to a new acquaintance, causing make-up or pride to run, may not be the worst that eye allergies can serve up. The blurred vision associated with tears and mucous produced by irritated eyes can turn you into a safety hazard on the road. In the most severe cases, there is a chance that eye allergies can threaten your eyesight permanently.

This type of itchy, burning sensation that caused your eyes to water should not be confused with the tears that come from allergy-related sinus pressure. A "stuffed up" head may put pressure on the almond-sized glands that produce tears, causing your eyes to start flowing. Eye allergies differ from sinus related eye watering because of the redness and irritation that comes with this condition. So how do you know if you have eye allergies? And what can you do to curb the burn and tearfulness? This hub should give you a fighting chance when it comes to overcoming eye allergies.

What are eye allergies?

Eye allergy (or more formally, ocular allergy) affects the thin tissue (known as the conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye as well as the insides of the eye lids. This tissue acts as a barrier to protect your eyes from invading particles, microbes and other debris. Another player in ocular allergies are the tear glands. Tears actually contain important immune defense substances, like immunoglobulin (antibodies), lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells) and enzymes.

When airborne allergens collide with your eyes, an allergic reaction is kicked off in the conjunctiva which causes itching and burning sensations, red color and swelling. Your tear glands try to do their best to flush the offensive allergen from the eyes, causing your eyes to flood with tears.

The irony of eye allergies is that your body is trying to protect you-- but it accidentally is making you feel miserable in the process!

The truth is that eye allergies are same as other types of allergies. The tissues that make up the allergy-senstive areas of your eyes are very similar to the tissues in your nose and throat. Ocular allergies are also associated with hay fever (nasal allergies) and even eczema (skin allergies).

The main difference may be the way that the pollen or dust comes in contact with you. There are a couple of ways for allergens to find their way into your eyes, whereas nasal allergies have only one. Nasal allergies are usually triggered by inhaling airborne allergens like pollen or animal dander. Eyes are also affected by allergens in the air, but another way that the irritating substances find your eyes is by traveling there on your hands. So merely rubbing or touching the area around your eyes can result in exposing yourself to allergens on your hands.

People with allergic eyes often have a strong family or personal history of allergies-- and most likely are going to experience eye allergy symptoms before the age of 30.

• Seasonal Allergic Conjunctivitis (SAC)
• Perennial Allergic Conjunctivitis (PAC)

The main difference between these two common forms of ocular allergy is their timing.

If you have Seasonal Allergic Conjunctivitis (PAC), you:

A) Usually have symptoms for a short period of time.

B) May be bothered by the spring tree pollen, or in the summer by grass pollen, or in the fall by weed pollen.

C) Generally have period during the year where your symptoms are resolved-especially in the winter.

If you have Perennial Allergic Conjunctivitis (PAC), you:

A) Have symptoms that last throughout the year.

B) Instead of outdoor allergens, you have problems with indoor allergens like dust mites, cockroaches and pet dander.

C) Seasonal outdoor allergies may worsen your eye allergies if you are sensitive to them as well.

• Pollen
• Grass
• Weeds
• Dust
• Pet hair or dander
• Some medicines or cosmetics

There are also some elements that irritate eyes but are not allergens:

• Cigarette smoke
• Perfume
• Diesel Exhaust

Symptoms of Eye Allergies:

• Redness
• Tearing
• Burning sensation
• Blurred vision
• Mattering and/or mucous production
• Swelling of the eye

If you are aware of what you are allergic to, sometimes avoiding exposure can help improve your eye allergies dramatically (i.e. if allergic to pets, refraining from petting them or keeping no pets yourself). But, if you are unable to indentify the source of your reactions-or simply cannot avoid contact, you should see an ophthalmologist (a doctor who specializes in conditions and care of the eyes).

If you have SAC, you may want to make an appointment with your ophthalmologist before the season when your eye allergies flare up. This way, you can start some sort of treatment or prevention program before you begin feeling symptoms.

If you have PAC, you may want to routinely have appointments with your ophthalmologist to make sure that your eye allergies are being monitored. Occassional flare-ups will make it necessary to keep your eye doctor up to date with your condition. You may also want to consult an allergist (a doctor who specializes in allergic diseases, like nasal allergies and allergic asthma).

• Is there a specific cause of my eye allergies? Can it be indentified?

• How can I reduce my symptoms or control occasional flare-ups?

These two questions are important to determine whether you can better avoid contact with your trigger allergen or find some sort of treatment to alleviate the irritation.

Here are a few conditions that can commonly be confused with ocular allergies.

• Dry Eye: Reduced tear production is frequently confused with allergies. The main symptoms: burning, grittiness or the sensation of "something in the eye". Most people with dry eye are over the age of 65. This condition will definitely be worsened by the use of oral antihistamines (regardless of age of patient), sedatives and b-blocker medications.
• Tear Duct Obstruction: Blockage in the tear duct passage that travels from the eyes to the nasal cavity. Most people with tear duct obstruction are elderly. The primary symptom is watery eyes with no itching or burning.
• Conjunctivitis Due to Infection: Infections caused by bacteria or viruses. In bacterial infections, the eyes are often bright red, the eye lids stick together (especially in the morning). Discolored mucous is often seen (so-called "dirty eyes"). In viral infections cause slight redness and glassy appearance in the eyes. Some eye viruses are spread very easily, by either direct contact or in contaminated swimming pools.

For all of these conditions, it is recommended that you see your primary care doctor immediately.

To determine whether you have eye allergies, your ophthalmologist can check for the sign usually associated with the condition. Most cases, this involves using a specialized microscope called a stilt lamp. When examining your eyes with the stilt lamp, the ophthalmologist is looking for dilated blood vessels, conjunctival swelling and eyelid swelling. These are all the usual signs of an allergic reaction in the eye and surround tissue.

On rare occasions, the ophthalmologist with carefully scrape the surface of the conjunctiva. The goal is to check tiny cells removed for traces of eosinophils, this are certain cells commonly tied to severe cases of allergies.

For those with mild to moderate eye allergies, there is a list of over the counter as well as prescription drugs available. Most medicines come in the form of eye drops, which are usually an effective treatment that have little or no systemic side effects. Most drops are used only twice a day. Some of the most common brands prescribed are:

• Nedocromil (Alocril)
• Ketotifen (Zaditor)
• Olopatadine (Patanol)
• Azelastine (Optivar)
• Pemirolast (Alamast)
• Epinastine (Elestat)

For more severe cases, your ophthalmologist may recommend using a topical ophthalmic corticosteroid. Older forms of corticosteroids were the cause with ocular side effects when used over a long period of time. The newer forms of corticosteroids have much less risk associated with them. Some of the most common brands of topical ophthalmic corticosteroids are:

• Loteprednol 0.02% (Alrex)
• Loteprednol 0.05% (Lotemax)
• Prednisolone (AK-Pred)
• Rimexolone (Vexol)
• Medrysone (HMS)
• Fluorometholone (FML, FML Forte, FML Liquifilm)

Whether you feel your ocular allergies are troublesome enough to bring you to visit an eye doctor, or you prefer to suffer through the brief seasonal flare-up's, here are a few tips to help you help yourself.

Avoidance of Allergen Triggers:

1. Reduce the number of places where allergens can hide by limiting the number of knick-knacks, pillows, dust ruffles, curtains and canopies in your home. All of these are the favorite collecting places of dust and other allergens like dust mites and pollen.
2. Follow the prescribed method of reducing nasal allergen in your home-the same things that trigger nasal allergies and allergic asthma will affect you as well. So, if you are allergic to dust mites, consider getting a dust mite-proof mattress cover and bedding. Eliminate water leaks or excess condensation if you are allergic to mold spores. There are a number of resources to help you remove allergens from your environment, like AirQualityTips.com and Allergizer.com.
3. Avoid pet dander-this means staying away from animals, but also being cautious about dander that may spread onto your clothing or hands while visiting a friend with pets, sitting in a chair where a pet usually sleeps, etc.
4. Use HEPA filters in your furnace and air conditioning units like those made by Dynamic Air Quality Systems. You might even want to consider using a bedroom sized allergy air filter for your room. Just remember to change the filters regularly-mark it on your calendar.

1. Do not rub your eyes. This is the most natural reaction to the itchiness you might feel in your eyes, but by rubbing your eyes, you are stirring up the irritation even more. Also, the hand-to-eye contact may actually introduce more allergens to your eyes. Try your best to remember not to rub your eyes during an allergic reaction.
2. Splash your face with water if you are starting to feel like your eyes are getting itchy. The water will actually help rinse allergens off of your face/eye area.
3. If you sense that you have come into contact with allergens or start to feel your eyes burn, use artificial tears/lubricating drops to flush allergens out of your eyes.
4. Apply cold compressed to your eyes to reduce the swelling and irritation caused by the allergic reaction.