You’re not alone if seasonal allergies leave your eyes red, itchy, and watery. Pollen, dust, and other airborne allergens can trigger uncomfortable eye symptoms that make daily activities a struggle.
The good news? There are effective ways to soothe your eyes and find relief, and that’s just what Nicanor Lacsina, OD, and Yelena Pinkhasova, OD, are here to discuss.
Here are five ways to relieve red, itchy eyes and how the Bainbridge Eye Care team can help.
The best way to prevent allergy flare-ups is to minimize contact with triggers like pollen, pet dander, and mold. Try these tips:
Tip: Most weather channels feature allergy reports, so check the daily allergy report. You might consider keeping your windows closed and exercising inside on any high pollen count days.
Over-the-counter or prescription antihistamine eye drops can quickly relieve itching and redness by blocking the body’s allergic response. If you experience dryness and allergies, artificial tears can help flush out allergens and keep your eyes comfortable.
Our team may also recommend prescription eye drops.
A damp washcloth over your closed eyes can reduce swelling and irritation caused by allergies. Apply for 5-10 minutes as needed to soothe discomfort and refresh tired, itchy eyes.
If your eye allergies are severe, an oral antihistamine like cetirizine or loratadine may help reduce allergy symptoms, including itchy, watery eyes.
If you regularly drink fruit juice, you might want to double-check that you’re not drinking juice too close to when you take your allergy medication. It could be unknowingly reducing the effectiveness of your medication.
Best practice? Avoid drinking fruit juice within two hours of certain kinds of allergy medication.
Our team may recommend immunotherapy if you can’t avoid your allergens or if medications and eye drops don’t alleviate your symptoms.
Immunotherapy for eye allergies helps reduce sensitivity to allergens by gradually exposing your immune system to small, controlled amounts of the allergen. This treatment, often administered as allergy shots or sublingual tablets, trains your body to build tolerance over time, which leads to fewer and less severe allergic reactions.
Allergy shots can also help prevent new allergies and the progression of allergic rhinitis to asthma.
Unlike antihistamines or eye drops that provide temporary symptom relief, immunotherapy addresses the root cause of allergies for long-term improvement.
It’s especially beneficial if you have persistent or severe allergic conjunctivitis and don't respond well to standard treatments.
If you have eye allergies, what you don’t do is as important as what you do.
Rubbing may feel like a quick fix, but it releases more histamines, making redness and itching worse. Instead, gently rinse your eyes with cool water or lubricating eye drops to relieve irritation.
With so many allergy treatments at your fingertips — from eye drops to oral medications to immunotherapy — there’s no need to power through your symptoms unaided. Our team can help you find relief from your eye allergies.
If your allergy symptoms are persistent, worsening, or affecting your vision, it’s time to see Dr. Lacsina or Dr. Pinkhasova. They can help determine if your discomfort is due to allergies or another eye condition and recommend the best treatment for lasting relief.
With spring allergies in full force, now is the perfect time to call 718-306-9127 and get the relief you need, or request an appointment online today.
