When someone mentions allergies, people often think of sneezing, nasal congestion and pressure in the sinuses. What most people don’t realize is that eyes can also experience allergy symptoms. The most common of those are redness, itchiness, burning and sometimes, watery eyes. In some cases, the eye can experience a severe allergy that causes the eyelids to swell. If this occurs, it is important to see an eye doctor qualified to treat allergies. Our Doctors are able to look at the conditions surrounding the eye allergy and can provide you with prescription medications that can help to reduce symptoms and prevent further complications. It is important to seek out treatment when eye allergies begin as they can threaten your eyesight. While it may begin as blurry vision, infection can set in and there is a potential for permanent vision loss and damage. We can begin treatment as soon as you see us to help reduce your risk of vision loss and recommend at home treatments that can be combined with any therapy prescribed in our office. These eye allergies are the result of the body’s immune system fighting off a harmless item that it perceives as a threat. In the attempt to combat this threat, the immune system begins to produce antibodies and your eyes treat the area with histamines. This results in itchy red eyes and can be combined with nasal allergy symptoms. The main causes are due to seasonal allergies, although some perennial allergies may also occur. Things that may contribute to the allergy include:
Dust
Dust mites
Mold
Pet dander
Pollen
When your eyes are red and irritated, it will be important to rinse them with sterile saline solution and other eye lubricants rather than rubbing the eye. Make sure that you aren’t choosing decongestant eye drops as these actually constrict the blood vessels and using them excessively can cause damage. As soon as you notice you are having problems with your allergies, be sure to set up an appointment with our office so that a course of treatment can be started.
Dry Eyes
When there is a problem with the tear flow system of the eyes, a person will experience dry eyes. This can be caused by dry air from an air-conditioner, encounters with high levels of heat, natural aging, hormonal changes, and even some medications can contribute to the condition. In some cases, a physical deformity can cause the eyelids to not close properly, which may require surgery.
It is important that patients understand that there is no true cure for dry eyes. Rather, there are treatments an eye doctor will be able to provide to reduce the severity of the condition. This can include any of the following:
Artificial tear drops
Medications like steroids and Restasis
Permanent Punctal Occlusion
Temporary Punctal Occlusion
Surgery
Our Doctors will be able to find the cause of your dry eyes and a treatment plan can be worked out to help to relieve your painful symptoms.
