Itchy, watery, red eyes got you down? With the heavier rain, there’s been a high pollen count this season—meaning your allergies can be even worse this year. For most of us, allergies manifest in itchy eyes and watery eyes.
Fear not though, stylish friends, I’ve got you covered with 4 things you can do to help get rid of your eye allergies — once and for all. Remember, if you are having any symptoms out of the ordinary, it is always best to consult your eye doctor first.
Keep reading for my go-to tricks to get rid of eye allergies once and for all—your face will thank you.
1. Use a Cold Compress
A cold compress is a fast way to alleviate eye allergies, as well as swelling, and inflammation. The cold restricts circulation and will help calm down the inflammation that is associated with eye allergies. Inflammation can take the form of swollen lids or glassy looking eyes. The cold can also reduce the blood flow to the eye area to temporally reduce the inflammation. A great at home remedy is placing an ice pack on the eyes for 10 min. My favorite cold compress is a bag of frozen peas because peas are easily manipulated to form around the eye area.
2. Over the Counter Eye Drops
When going to the drug store, it is so hard to choose what drop is best for you. Labels can be misleading and you can end up purchasing and using a medication that will not necessarily help your eye allergies. An over the counter drop that I suggest is Alaway. Alaway is an antihistamine drop that blocks the histamine cells that can cause an allergic reaction. Use the drops twice a day to alleviate itchy eyes. Disclaimer: contact lens wearers, never use allergy eye drops while wearing your contacts.
3. Prescription Eye Drops
If cold compresses and over the counter eye drops are not working and you haven’t already seen your local eye care provider, then its time to make an appointment with an optometrist. A licensed eye care provider has tools to properly diagnose if allergies are what is really what is causing the irritations of if it may be caused by other factors. If the irritation is eye allergies, then most likely the provider will prescribe you a prescription strength antihistamine eye drop. A common one is called Pataday.
4. Steroid Drops
Depending on the severity of the eye allergies, your doctor may prescribe you a steroid eye drop. Steroid drops are reserved for more severe cases of eye allergies. These drops are not to be used long term as they have side effects, however, their results are usually quicker than any other way of battling eye allergies. Your doctor will monitor you very closely while on a steroid drop, so plan your schedule accordingly.
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Dr. Arian Fartash is a practicing Optometrist in California. She has been practicing Optometry for 7 years and blogging for over a year, and her love of all things eye-care keep her balanced. Keep an eye out for her articles about everything from eyewear tips, eye fashion, and self-care remedies on Style Salute. She spreads the word about all things eyes on her Instagram, @glamoptometrist, and blog, www.glamoptometrist.com.
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