Allergies, Eyes and Contact Lenses

Airborne allergens are prime causes of eye allergies. Examples of airborne allergens include mould, pet odours and pollen. Many types of food can cause allergies such as food and bee stings but not eye allergies.

The body can react badly to drugs or eye drops and cosmetics which ultimately causes eye allergies. Many people are allergic to the preservatives that are in eye drops. When an eye allergy is caused by eye drops, choose a product that contains no preservatives.

Medication

If you've taken every preventative step to avoid an allergen, consider medication to alleviate the symptoms. Medications that are available from supermarkets are usually cheaper than prescription medications. However, prescription medications are normally stronger and more effective at treating eye allergies.

Eye drops can help if you have allergies, in particular if they contain decongestants and anti-histamines that stop inflammation. Such symptoms as sneezing, a runny nose and watery eyes can be alleviated by eye drops that contain antihistamines. When your nasal passages are swollen, decongestants can help.

Eye drops are available as simple eye washes, or they may have one or more active ingredients such as mast cell stabilizers, antihistamines or decongestants. Antihistamines help with many symptoms attributed to airborne allergens such as watery eyes and sneezing. Decongestants help because it shrinks swollen nasal passages.

Watery eyes are usually caused by two problems that are very different from each other - dry eye syndrome and allergies.

When histamine causes your eyes to water, allergies are to blame. Dry eye syndrome is responsible for watery eyes when your tear glands produce more tears as a protective response. If your eyes are very red, decongestants can help. Containing vasoconstrictors, decongestants shrink the blood vessels in your eyes. Although symptoms are treated, the cause of eye allergies is not resolved. When decongestants are used extensively, the blood vessels can rely on the vasoconstrictors to remain small. As a result, your blood vessels can get bigger when decongestants are not used. Otherwise known as rebound hyperaemia, your eyes can worsen after several days or weeks.

An alternative to decongestants that have vasoconstrictors are products which contain mast cell stabilizers. Alleviating redness and swelling, mast cell stabilizers can offer long-lasting relief. This is the complete opposite of antihistamines because they only usually temporarily treat the problems. Although decongestants and mast cell stabilizers can be bought in pill form, eye drops and gels are an alternative because relief is brought instantly.

Contact lenses can be very uncomfortable because of airborne allergens. When allergens come into contact with your lenses, natural substances are produced excessively in your tears. As a result, your contact lenses can become very blurry. By referring to pollen maps, you'll know if allergens are present. You can also ask an optician about eye drops which will alleviate the symptoms so that your contact lenses are cleaner for longer. If you suspect that you are suffering from conjunctivitis, and still wish to wear contact lenses, we advise that you take a look at our article on pink eye and contacts.

Daily disposable contact lenses are an alternative if you have allergens. Disposed of at the end of the day, irritating deposits are prevented from building up and causing discomfort.