How Allergies Affect the Eyes

With spring finally here, many people are visiting their optometrist to figure out how they can continue wearing contact lenses while suffering from allergies. People wearing contact lens may suffer from watery, itchy eyes more frequently during the spring season because contacts will hold pollen and other materials. This increases allergy symptoms in patients who suffer from seasonal allergies, and it can cause irritation in patients who don't otherwise have problems with allergies.

Symptoms of Eye Allergies

A number of eye allergy symptoms go beyond simple irritation. Symptoms of eye allergies include:

• swollen eyelids
• red in the white areas of your eyes
• watery eyes that won't stop running
• itchiness that is impossible to relieve
• a burning sensation in the eyes

It’s important to have your symptoms checked out by an optometrist, since some allergy symptoms are similar to common eye diseases as well. Red, swollen eyes are a symptom of conjunctivitis, a condition that may require antibiotics for treatment. If you are experiencing problems when wearing your contact lenses, you should always have your eyes checked out to ensure that you don’t have a treatable illness.

Irritated eyes can indicate a problem with your contact lenses. If you are new to wearing contacts and your eyes are irritated, you may have a small tear in your lenses. These are not always easy to see, and they can be painful if you are wearing contact lenses with a small tear.

Allergy Treatment in Fairfax, Virginia

When you are suffering from seasonal allergies, you can seek allergy relief from your Fairfax, Virginia, optometrist, Dr. Howard Budner, and his associates. Our dedicated staff is ready to work with you and come up with a treatment plan so that you can find relief from your allergies.

To make an appointment with Dr. Howard Budner’s office and learn more about allergy relief when you wear contact lenses, give our office in Fairfax, Virginia, a call today at (703) 691-8008.