Looking for Relief from Symptoms of Ocular Allergy?
Eye Allergies are unavoidable! You can try to avoid the irritants by using air filters and air conditioners to reduce the dust, dander, pollen levels, but at some point, you will still need to leave the house and go outside. Let’s be honest, you can not live in a bubble.
What exactly is an eye allergy?
Sometimes, your body’s immune system gets sensitized to specific irritants. These irritants can be harmless to everyone else around you, but cause your body to react. Your body reacts to this irritant, a substance that the body perceives as harmful – even though it is not, and your eye may overreact! Allergies may also be hereditary.
How can I get relief?
According to the World Allergy Organization, approximately 34 million adults and children suffer from allergies, and this number is on the rise. You are not alone in your struggles to get your eye allergies under control. At Berryessa Optometry, Dr. Tommy Lim has years of experience diagnosing and treating ocular allergy, and he can prescribe a number of strategies and therapies to help alleviate your painful vision.
What is the treatment for ocular allergy?
When eye irritation from allergies strikes, the most effective way to relieve it is to place a cold compress gently over your eyes, according to Dr. Lim. When that does not alleviate your discomfort, mild antihistamine eye drops generally bring relief, followed by prescription eye drops for more severe symptoms. Mast cell stabilizers offer longer-lasting relief for some people, as do corticosteroids. Eye allergies are highly individual and an eye doctor must perform a thorough eye exam to determine the best, most suitable treatment.
“Often there are many layers to the eye allergy treatment plan, and it depends upon the specific irritant and patient response to the medication. People need to speak with their eye doctor for a treatment plan that is customized for their personal situation,” explains Dr. Lim. “Ideally, the eye doctor should work closely with the allergist, developing an interdisciplinary approach to treatment.”
Can I wear contact lenses if I have eye allergies?
Ocular allergy can make it very uncomfortable to wear contact lenses. Airborne allergens can stick to lenses and stimulate the overproduction of natural components in your tears that also bind to contact lenses, thereby worsening your discomfort. One solution is to use eye drops that relieve eye allergy symptoms and to be vigilant about cleaning your contacts properly. Another alternative is to wear daily disposable contact lenses (dailies), which are thrown out nightly. This replacement schedule makes it impossible for irritating allergens and deposits to build upon the surface of your lenses.
Why is it important to treat eye allergy?
Some people choose to suffer from painful vision rather than seek ocular allergy treatment. However, allergies can lead to other problems, such as pink eye and asthma. Also, mild allergies can progress into more moderate or severe allergies, when left untreated.
“Listen to your body,” says Dr. Lim. “If something is bothering you, there’s a reason. Sometimes you can only minimize the problems you have, but it’s worthwhile to research it. Most of the time, your eye doctor can help.”
Don’t suffer from eye allergy! Contact us at Berryessa Optometry to schedule a detailed eye exam, and Dr. Lim will design the most effective treatment plan for your ocular allergies.
Friday and Saturday: Early appts available on request