There Are Several Signs Of Allergic Conjunctivitis
Typical signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include:
- Redness in both eyes.
- Itching and burning of both the eye and surrounding tissues.
- Watery discharge, often accompanied by acute discomfort in bright sunlight light .
- The conjunctiva itself may become very swollen and look light purple, and this may interfere with clarity of vision.
Eyelids may also be affected by an allergic reaction, causing the loose tissues of the lid to become swollen with subsequent drooping of the eyelid. In cases of severe swelling, the lids cannot open and the gap between the upper and lower lids becomes slit like.
It is important to note that blurred vision or corneal haze require urgent referral to an eye specialist.
Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms may be:
- Perennial due to exposure to dust mite, animal dander, indoor and outdoor mould spores and occasionally foods or food additives.
- Seasonal due to airborne allergens such as pollen of grasses, trees and weeds. Pollen allergy symptoms vary from day to day, depending on the weather, improving in wet weather and worsening on hot windy days or after thunderstorms. There are also seasonal variations in some airborne mould spores, which may cause seasonal symptoms.
Swelling Caused By A Bee Sting
If a venomous bee sting caused the swelling, remove the stinger immediately. Dont use tweezers to remove the stinger. Tweezers can pinch the stinger, causing it to release more venom.
Use a playing card instead:
When To Contact A Medical Professional
- You have symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis that do not respond to self-care steps and over-the-counter treatment.
- Your vision is affected.
- You develop eye pain that is severe or becoming worse.
- Your eyelids or the skin around your eyes becomes swollen or red.
- You have a headache in addition to your other symptoms.
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What Are The Common Causes Of Swollen Eyes From Allergies
A swollen eyelid happens when the connective tissues around the eye are inflamed. This condition can be painful, and it can affect both the upper and lower eyelids. The most common causes of eye inflammation are infections, injuries, and allergies.
Adverse immune reaction to certain allergens causes an eye allergy. These include:
- Pollen
- Dust
- Smoke
Some individuals may develop allergies to medicines such as pain relievers and antibacterials. Food and climate changes can also cause an allergic reaction.
Care Advice For Eye Allergy
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Symptoms May Also Be Due To Contact Allergy
- Many cosmetics , will cause a contact allergy of the eyelids, which may occur in only one eye
- Other causes include antibiotics and the preservative thiomersal .
- Some plants will also cause contact allergy, including Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’, African violets and a number of bulbs. Since the Rhus tree has been declared a noxious weed the number of cases of this serious contact allergy has declined.
- Usually there is an initial improvement of the condition after prescribed eye drops are used and then a continuing deterioration, only improved by ceasing the eye drops.
- Bathing the eyes with cooled boiled water will give comfort as the condition improves.
- A doctor will usually use patch testing to confirm the diagnosis and inquire about whether any non-prescribed or herbal drops have been used.
How Do You Unswell Your Eyes From Allergies
Its not an allergic reaction by itself, but to it when there are tears triggered by inhaled allergens like pollen. Applied allergens can swell eyes when histamine is released. For people who experience allergic reactions, taking an oral antihistamine as well as applying antihistamine drops may help reduce eyelid swelling.
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Swelling Caused By Infection
If the swelling was caused by an infection in the eyes, nose, or mouth, youll likely be prescribed antibiotics to clear it. If an abscess is present, your healthcare provider may cut open the abscess and drain it. The open area will then be closed in with packing material to keep it from becoming infected and reoccurring.
The Difference Between Eye Allergies And Pink Eye
Eye allergies are caused by a reaction to allergens in the air while pink eye is most often caused by bacterial infections and viruses. Allergies usually cause irritation in both eyes while pink eye often occurs in one and then spreads to the other. Unlike pink eye, eye allergies are not contagious and will last only as long as youre exposed to the allergen.
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Eye Allergy Treatment And Tips
The best way to treat eye allergies is to mitigate exposure to the allergens causing the issue. This can be especially true if you have seasonal allergies. Try to limit time outdoors when pollen is at its peak, and clean your air filters in the fall and winter to help prevent cold-weather allergies.
What Can I Do To Address Eye Swelling
Eye puffiness or swelling is a common symptom of allergic conjunctivitis, along with itchy, red eyes, a burning sensation and a clear, watery discharge.
During an allergic reaction, white blood cells attach to protective mast cells in the mucus membranes of the eyes and nasal passages, and fluid builds up. Tiny blood vessels in and around the eyes leak, leading to inflammation and swelling in surrounding tissues and the watery discharge. Rubbing or scratching the eyes only makes it worse and could lead to infection.
Eye swelling often occurs at night. One reason this happens is exposure to allergens in the bedroom primarily dust mites and/or pet dander.
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When Do You Need To See A Doctor
While there’s a good chance that your symptoms will clear up once you remove whatever’s causing them, you shouldn’t hesitate to seek medical help if certain concerning symptoms arise, experts warn.
If your eyeball, rather than your eyelid, is swollen, you should head to a doctor’s office immediately, Dr. Hajee says. Additionally, if your eyeball is in any pain, or if any area around the eye is in severe pain, that should prompt a visit to the doctor’s office, too.
MedlinePlus adds that other symptomslike if your vision is affected or you have a severe headachealso warrant emergency medical treatment.
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Why Is My Eyelid Swollen In The Morning
Eyelid swelling is most commonly associated with normal, age-related changes to the blood flow in the eye as well as diet, salt consumption, amount of sleep, and circadian rhythm. If you eat a large amount of salt, your body can and will retain fluid. Sometimes this retention takes place in the hands, making it more difficult to squeeze one’s hand, and other times it occurs in the eyelids, causing swelling.
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Antihistamine Pills And Eye Drops
Antihistamine pills and liquids work by blocking histamine to relieve watery, itchy eyes. They include cetirizine , diphenhydramine , fexofenadine , or loratadine , among others. Some may cause drowsiness.
Antihistamine eye drops work well for itchy, watery eyes. You may need to use them several times a day, but donât use the over-the-counter kinds for more than 2-3 days. Prescription kinds include azelastine hydrochloride , cetirizine ophthalmic , emedastine difumarate , levocabastine , and olopatadine .
They are often combined with other kinds of drops, including some that shrink swollen blood vessels in your eye. You shouldnât use these kinds of drops, called or âget the red outâ drops, for more than a few days at a time. They can also lead to a rebound redness if used too frequently. Donât use them at all if you have glaucoma.
Over-the-counter antihistamines include ketotifen fumarate .
Treatment Options For Swollen Eyelids
You can treat most cases of eyelid swelling at home with easy home treatments such as cold compresses for periodic eye redness and swelling.
Chronic cases should be examined by a doctor immediately.
Common medical treatments for swollen eyes include:
- Allergy treatments
- Antibiotic eye drops for bacterial infections
- Antiviral eye drops for viral eye infections such as herpes
- Administration of corticosteroids to ease the inflammation
- Incision and drainage of styes and chalazions
- Surgical removal of foreign objects in the eyelid
Common home remedies for swollen eyelids include the following:
- Clean the skin around your affected eyelids gently using water and baby shampoo, then gently pat the area dry.
- Use artificial tears to rinse and moisten your eyes if you’re experiencing dry eyes
- Apply cool compresses on the affected area
- Rest with your head elevated to drain fluids away from the eyes
- Avoid contact lenses until your swollen eyelids fully recover
Contact a healthcare expert immediately away if your eyelids swell as a result of a serious allergic reaction.
Self-care techniques may still help minimize swelling. An injection of epinephrine at the doctor’s office or emergency room may be required to calm the reaction.
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Triggers Of Eye Allergies
- Cause. An allergic reaction of the eyes to allergic substance. The medical name for this is allergic conjunctivitis. The allergic substance is called an allergen. Most allergens float in the air. That’s how they get in the eyes. Here are the common ones:
- Pollens. Trees, grass, weeds and molds are the most common pollens. Tree pollens come in the spring. Grass pollens come in the summer. Weed pollens come in the fall. Pollens cause seasonal allergies. You can’t avoid pollens because they are in the air. Most eye allergies continue through the pollen season. They can last 4 to 8 weeks. Pollens cause seasonal eye allergies.
- Pets. Allergens can also be from cats, dogs, horses, rabbits and other animals. Pet allergens are in the air. They can also get in the eyes from the hands. Most people don’t keep a pet that they are allergic to. They only have sporadic allergy symptoms when they are exposed to a pet. These symptoms usually last a few hours. If you own the pet, your child will have symptoms all the time.
- House Dust. House dust contains many allergens. It always contains dust mites. If your humidity is high, it will contain mold. If someone with a cat visits you, they will bring cat dander with them. House dust causes year round, daily symptoms. The medical name for this is perennial eye allergies.
What Can You Do For Swollen Eyes From Cat Allergies
The general rule of thumb is to rinse the eyes with water once in a while, that way the eyes wont become creased. You may find this soothes allergy symptoms as well as helping them to be flushed out from within. Cold compresses can be applied. During an eye injury, cold compresses around the eyes are beneficial, Ogbogu claims.
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What Are The Swollen Lip Causes Or Why Is My Lip Swollen
When you suddenly have a lip swelling, it is normal to wonder why your lip is swollen and what could have caused it? Well, there are much-swollen lip causes some of which area less serious and might disappear quickly while others might be an indication of a more serious underlying condition or disease that can be life-threatening. It is good to ensure you know the root cause and get proper treatment.
So, what are some of the common reasons for lip swelling or what could be behind that swollen lip you have?
Other Swelling Causes Include
Besides the above-discussed lip swelling causes, this problem can be caused by the following:
- Exercising
- Obesity
- Organ failure e.g. liver, kidney, or heart
- Preeclampsia
- Reaction to blood transfusion
- Lip swelling from ingrown hair is common for people who remove mustache hairs wrongly or using blunt razors.
- Diabetic people are prone to mouth infections as well as infections that cause lips to swell.
These are the most common causes of swollen lips. There could be medical conditions that could also cause swollen lips and tongue that might be accompanied by swellings on other parts of the body.
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Eye Allergy Help In Houston
If you believe your pet is responsible for your eye allergies, schedule an eye exam at the Berkeley Eye Center. Our Houston eye specialists have many years of experience when it comes to determining the cause of an eye allergy and providing our patients with effective treatment and prevention options.
Other Kinds Of Eye Drops
Some eye drops work only when you take them before your symptoms hit. They take longer to work than antihistamine eye drops, but the effects last longer. Sometimes they are combined with antihistamines. These eye drops need a prescription:
- pemirolast potassium
Ketorolac (Acular or Acuvail0 is another kind of eye drop. It relieves itchy eyes, usually in about an hour. It can sting or burn at first.
Steroid eye drops like loteprednol treat severe, long-lasting eye allergies. They are usually used only for a short time because they can cause serious side effects.
If youâre still having symptoms, your doctor may suggest allergy shots. With allergy shots, your body is exposed to increasing amounts of an allergen over time and gradually gets used to it. Depending on the cause of your allergies, oral tablets or drops that work much like allergy shots could be used instead.
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When To See A Doctor
Those experiencing prolonged symptoms or symptoms that routinely interfere with their overall quality of life should discuss the situation with their physician.
Your doctor can work with you to devise a customized strategy designed to keep incidents of swelling, redness, watering and itching to a minimum after identifying the primary irritant. You may also be referred to a specialist.
Your doctor can provide more intense treatment options, such as corticosteroid drops or injections for allergies.
Corticosteroids treat allergy symptoms by suppressing the immune system, and preventing it from overreacting to allergens. Injections, also called allergen immunotherapy, also affect the immune system, but rather than suppressing it, they function like a vaccine. These injections allow your immune system to gradually build up a tolerance to the allergen that causes your puffy eye symptoms. While they will not provide immediate relief, but should eventually.
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Fever
- Severe swelling of one eye without fever
- Eyelid is very red and swollen without fever
- Eyelid is painful or very tender
- Swollen ankles or feet
- Sinus pain or pressure
- Moderate swelling with the eye open some. Exception: due to a mosquito bite.
- You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
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Other Sources Of Swollen Eyes
In addition to hay fever, many other types of allergies can cause similar reactions. Animal dander can cause swelling around the eyes, as can the presence of dust mites or mold spores. Other causes are less common but still possible. For example, some people with latex allergies, particularly those with severe latex allergies, suffer from swollen mucus membranes, including around the eyes, following skin contact with latex 3. Food allergies, drug allergies and allergic reactions to insect bites or stings can also cause swelling 2.
- In addition to hay fever, many other types of allergies can cause similar reactions.
- Animal dander can cause swelling around the eyes, as can the presence of dust mites or mold spores.
How Eye Allergies Are Diagnosed
When your eyes start to itch, swell, water consistently or turn red, you can visit an ophthalmologist for an official diagnosis and treatment plan. You may also want to visit an allergist to learn if you have food and environmental allergies.
Your eye doctor will run specific tests to rule out some potential causes of your misery. Theyll also need to know if you have any predisposing factors, including pre-existing allergies or parents with or a family history of allergies.
Only after providing an accurate diagnosis for allergic conjunctivitis can your doctor prescribe proper treatment to ease your symptoms.
Common eye tests for eye allergies include a slit lamp and a white blood cell test.
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