The number of people suffering from a perennial and/or seasonal eye allergy, also known as allergic conjunctivitis, has grown significantly over the past couple of decades. The main cause of seasonal allergies is the same thing as perennial allergies, but seasonal allergies are the result of things you encounter constantly, such as pollen, dust mites, perfume, and smoke. If your eye allergies become worse during certain times of the year, it is likely you also suffer from perennial allergies. Examples of seasonal allergens are mold spores, and pollen from weeds, grasses, trees, and other plants.
Seasonal Eye Allergies
Eye allergies are caused by the body’s immune system mistaking a normally harmless substance for one that is a threat. To combat such a substance, the body releases antibodies that cause the eyes to release histamine and other substances when a substance comes into contact with conjunctiva, which is the mucous membrane lining the eye surface and under the eyelids.
These symptoms, while annoying and inconvenient, are usually not permanently damaging to your eyesight. If you suffer from these symptoms, you should always visit your doctor to be sure that you’re diagnosed and treated properly. These symptoms can also be caused by infections and other conditions that can cause serious harm to your vision, so it’s important to ensure you’re being properly diagnosed and treated.
An ophthalmologist can conduct a thorough examination of your eye and possibly prescribe some medication that may help alleviate your allergies. One home remedy can be to flush your eye with lukewarm water or to use a commercial eyewash solution until you can get into your appointment. A doctor can prescribe antihistamine eye drops to alleviate allergy symptoms. These work by blocking the histamine receptors in the conjunctiva, which helps to alleviate itching.
In severe cases, a steroid anti-inflammatory eye drop can be used. These must be used with care because there are potential side effects from steroids that need to be taken into consideration if they must be used long-term.
Visit an Eye Doctor to Discuss Your Eye Allergies
With the most advanced technologies and techniques, and more than 40 years of ophthalmology experience, the board-certified ophthalmologists at Eye Physicians of North Houston provide compassionate and comprehensive patient-centered eye care in Houston. Preventing, diagnosing, and treating eye disorders is done in a small, intimate clinical setting, where patients can continually enjoy visiting and sharing their personal lives with our physicians and staff for many years to come.
We invite you to schedule an eye examination and discuss laser eye surgery with one of our ophthalmologists in North Houston today at (281) 893-1760. At Eye Physicians of North Houston, we love what we do and are grateful for the opportunity to take care of your eyes!