Information about Eye Allergies

Eye allergies are common among Americans. Allergic reactions involving eyes are a common complaint among Americans. Severe eye allergies can be an extremely irritating experience requiring consultations with a qualified medical practitioner. If not taken care of in time, it may even pose a serious threat to the victim's eyesight.

The most common reaction in eye allergies involve the conjunctiva, a clear layer of skin overlying the eyes, and is known as allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is divided into several major subtypes, the most common among them being seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC). Both arise out of an immune reaction involving a sensitized individual and an allergen. Put simply, if you are allergic to a particular substance and then come into contact with it, you experience an allergic reaction such as itching or sneezing.

Common allergens, i.e., substances that trigger eye allergies include pollen, grass, weeds, dust, and pet dander. As their names suggest, problems do not last long in SAC, but lasts throughout the year in PAC.

Apart from the all-too-familiar symptom of itching, other symptoms of eye allergies include redness, tearing, burning sensation, blurred vision, and mattering and/or mucus production

If you have eye allergies but can identify and avoid whatever you are allergic to, your allergy should improve markedly. If you fail to identify or avoid the allergens, it is wise to consult an allergist or ophthalmologist to get it treated. In the case of SAC, you may consult your allergist or ophthalmologist before the season in which you suffer from eye allergies so that treatment can start before the symptoms appear. However, if you have PAC, routine appointments with your allergist or ophthalmologist may be helpful to monitor your eye allergies.

In most cases, your allergist or ophthalmologist can diagnose eye allergies from your complaints alone.

As part of the examination, your eyes are examined to help rule out other problems. The front of your eyes is examined using a special microscope. Using the microscope, called a slit lamp, the ophthalmologist checks your eyes for dilated blood vessels, conjunctival swelling, and eyelid swelling, all of which indicate an allergic reaction. In rare and most severe cases, scraping of the conjunctiva is performed to check for eosinophils.

For treatment of eye allergies, avoidance of the allergens is the best method. When you can identify and avoid the particular allergy-causing substance, your symptoms are likely to improve dramatically. But if the problem remains even after avoidance and other forms of self-care, medical treatment is called for. Numerous over-the-counter medications, such as allergy eye drops and oral antihistamines can be used as directed for mild eye allergies. In addition, many prescription eye drops are also available to help reduce your eye allergies.

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