Allergy Symptoms in the Eyes

Ever get that scratchy, gritty feeling in your eyes, and wonder if you have eye allergies? Allergens and treatment options vary from prescription and nonprescription options depending on the severity of your condition.

Common Allergens

• Eye allergies are caused by a variety of allergens, including animal dander, trees, grass, weeds, dust mites, insect bites, mold, fragrances and food allergens. They can occur throughout the year. You may experience eye allergens from one substance during one time of the year and from another substance during another time of the year.

Symptoms

• Eye allergy symptoms vary from mild to severe. Symptoms include itchy watery eyes, tearing, burning of eyes, blurred vision, gritty feeling in the eyes and excess mucus production. You may experience one or more of these symptoms.

Before You Visit Your Doctor

• Before you visit your doctor, identify what is irritating your eyes, if possible. Get rid of dust mites in your home by getting rid of rugs and vacuuming/sweeping frequently. Also, put a mattress liner on your mattress and change your sheets at least twice a week to see if that cuts down on eye allergens. Pay attention to outdoor allergens as well. Do your symptoms increase when you go outside or when someone is mowing the lawn nearby? Ask your doctor how you can reduce your symptoms.

Over-the-Counter Treatment

• There are many treatments for eye allergies that you do not need a prescription for. The simplest treatment is a cold compress applied to the eye several times per day. There also are many over-the-counter eye drops that may be effective in relieving mild to moderate eye allergies. There are lubricants and eye drops specifically for allergies. You can also try oral antihistamines such as Benadryl. The biggest drawback with oral antihistamines is that they can make you drowsy.

Prescription Treatment

• If you find that over-the-counter treatments have no effect on your eye allergens, then you may need prescription treatments. The doctor will prescribe a treatment that is right for you based upon your medical history. Medications commonly prescribed include Alocril, Zaditor, Optivar, Alamast, Elestat or Restasis. For serious cases, you may need corticosteroids like Alrex, Lotemax, Ak-Pred, Vexol or AMS.