Ah Spring, Ah Allergies

Ah Spring, Ah Allergies

Ah Spring, Ah Allergies it’s a time of April showers and May flowers. And as Dr. Mark Herriott with Eyecare Associates of Lees Summit notes for many of us, this also means the return of seasonal burning, itching and red eyes.

While most people look forward to snow melting and spring arriving many people think of spring as prime allergy season. Spring is a time of year when allergy sufferers may need some relief. With a warmer then average winter and lots of trees and plants blooming Mother Nature is making conditions ripe for irritating ocular allergies.

If this scenario is instantly relatable to you, Dr. Herriott says you’re not alone. Eye allergies are very common.

Eye allergy symptoms can appear at any time of the year. This can depend upon your location and type of allergy: Seasonal, usually plaguing us for half the year, and perennial, which stay with us year round.

According to Dr. Herriott eye many outside elements can cause allergies. Seasonal allergies are brought about by allergens carried in the air outside, such as pollen, ragweed, grass, etc. Perennial allergies have different perpetrators, from pet dander to dust mites.

While there’s no serious risk to your eyesight, spring eye allergies can cause eyes to water, be itchy, light-sensitive, red, swollen, and can cause temporary blurriness. What can you do to help eye allergies? Plenty.

Eye allergies are caused by an overreaction by the immune system to something normally harmless that comes in contact with the mucus membranes of the eyelids. Allergens can cause your eyes to release histamines that create eye discomfort. But there are things you can do to both prevent and relieve these symptoms:

• Stay indoors in the mid-morning and early evening when pollen counts are highest.
• Don’t rub your eyes, it can make your symptoms worse. Try a cold compress.
• Vacuum often and use a HEPA filter to prevent allergens from building up in your house.
• Keep windows closed at night and car windows closed as you’re driving.
• Avoid decongestant eye drops that curb eye redness by constricting the eye’s blood vessels. They can often make the problem worse with overuse.
• For contact lens wearers, Dr. Mark Herriott recommends a switch to daily disposable contact lenses. Dr. Herriott notes that daily disposables help prevent allergens from building up on the surface of the lens.
• Ask our eye doctors at Eyecare Associates of Lees Summit about prescription eye drops that combine antihistamine-mast cell stabilizers and corticosteroids, or in severe cases, ask about allergy shots.

Your eye doctors at Eye Care Associates of Lees Summit are ready to help you get through the allergy season. If you find the normal things are not working for you give us a call for an appointment at 816-524-8900.