Are Eye Allergies Driving You Crazy?

If you experience allergy eyes, it doesn’t matter to you that not one city in Illinois is among the top 20 most challenging places nationwide for allergy sufferers, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.

If you have swollen, itchy eyes, you might benefit from once-a-day eye drops that contain both an antihistamine (to take away the itch) and a mast cell stabilizer (to reduce reactions even when my eyes are exposed to allergens again). Your optometrist can prescribe these for you, or ask your optometrist or pharmacist about over-the-counter varieties.

The drops will help, but short of locking yourself in a sealed, air-conditioned room until November, there’s no way to avoid the airborne allergens that torment your eyes. The secret is to know what to avoid.

Public Enemy #1—Pollen.
The only way to avoid airborne pollen is to stay inside with the windows closed. But who wants to do that when summer is just getting started?

To protect your eyes outside, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Go out at dawn and dusk. Pollen counts peak in the middle of the day, so spend time outdoors in the early morning or late in the evening.
• Wear wrap-around shades to help keep pollen out.
• Visit the beach, not the forest preserve. The woods are wonderful, but every tree, flower and shrub spends most of the day shedding pollen. You’ll have a lot less allergens to worry about at the beach.
• Have someone else mow the lawn. Wearing a dust mask keeps the pollen out of your respiratory tract, but it doesn’t protect your eyes from all those airborne allergens.

The Usual Suspects—Mold, Dust and Pet Dander.
These familiar indoor allergens don’t get any worse in the spring and summer, but they turn into a bigger threat when your system needs to cope with all the pollen. Minimize the misery:

• If your wear contacts, switch to daily disposables. Even with diligent cleaning, it’s hard to eradicate 100% of the spores and other allergens that collect on your lenses. Disposables are a better, healthier bet.
• Wash your hands after handling your pets. Even if you’re not allergic to their dander, fur collects sorts of other allergens.
• HEPA filters and microfiber cloths can help reduce airborne allergens.

Unexpected Culprits—Sunscreen and Diesel Exhaust.
We’ve all experienced the sting of getting sunscreen in our eyes, but some of us are actually allergic to certain sunscreen ingredients. Your skin will tell you if you’re allergic, but just to be on the safe side, wash your hands after applying your sunscreen.

And then there’s diesel exhaust. It’s more irritating to our eyes than gasoline exhaust, so even if it’s not technically an allergen, it will aggravate any allergic symptoms we’re already suffering. So let’s drive with our windows up and the air conditioner on, especially when you’re stuck in slow moving traffic.

If you are suffering from swollen or itchy eyes, the optometrists at Forsight Vision in Long Grove want to help you find the best solution. Schedule an emergency eye exam online or call 847-955-9393 to make an appointment.