If you suffer from allergies, you probably recognize the symptoms that your eyes experience: redness, itching, wateriness, and burning. These can contribute to swollen eyelids as well. These allergies occur when your body overreacts to something such as pollen in the atmosphere or even a cosmetic that you're wearing near or on your eyes. Our staff at Edward Bancroft and Palmer Vision Clinic wants you to understand your eye allergies and what our office can do to help alleviate them.
Eye Allergies Happen Year-Round
Some people experience seasonal allergies, while others have them year-round. For people who have seasonal allergies, spring through autumn can be especially trying. During the seasons, pollen from plants infiltrates the air and can affect your eyes and cause other symptoms. However, allergies can be caused by dust, perfume, smoke, chlorine, medicines, among other things. While you can attempt to avoid triggers to minimize allergy attacks, this may not always be possible, or you may not be sure what your allergens are. For example, you might dust and frequently clean your linens if dust mites are the culprit.
A doctor may be able to help you determine what your allergies, so you can avoid or reduce them. For example, wearing glasses can prevent irritants from reaching your eyes. or you might keep your pets outside as much as possible if their fur and dander cause your allergies to flare up. Sometimes the best you can do is to treat yourself when dealing with allergies. There are over-the-counter and prescription medicines you can take. If your allergies turn into an eye infection, also known as conjunctivitis, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection.
You may also benefit from an optometry appointment, who can verify that your eyes are experiencing an allergy by using a microscope to verify that the blood vessels on your eyes are swollen. When it's determined that you have allergies, the doctor might prescribe artificial tears to keep your eyes lubricated. You can also purchase decongestant eye drops over the counter to relieve itchiness. Steroid eye drops can also be used to combat some of the symptoms caused by eye allergies, including redness, swelling, and itching. Finally, your doctor might suggest immunotherapy shots, which contain steroids that can reduce your body's reaction to the allergy over time.
Together, you can come up with a treatment plan that reduces your symptoms and allows you to enjoy the life you love.
Get Help with Eye Allergies
There's no need to suffer from allergies any longer. Call Edward Bancroft and Palmer Vision Clinic at (907) 562-2020 for our Anchorage office or (907) 745-4373 to schedule an appointment today!
