Do Allergies Make Your Eyes Sensitive To Light

Allergy Shots Effectiveness My Opinion

Are allergy shots effective? A few years ago, prior to starting allergy shots, I was in a horrible place.

I couldnt make it to work, I stopped socializing, and I stopped exercising. I became obsessive about controlling my environment and reducing any stress.

I didnt know what was causing me to feel bad and I didnt know what to do.

Thankfully I was allergy tested.

But that didnt solve the problem. The first allergist I visited didnt help me much.

He only tested me for a couple things and gave me allergy drops there was very little communication or explanation on his part. After that experience, if you were to ask if allergy immunotherapy is effective I would have said no.

Thankfully I was retested for allergies by a reputable allergist.

I received the full spectrum of tests and the process was explained to me. We decided on a way to move forward. I strongly believe that allergy shots are effective.

Over the past few years Ive reduced my allergy symptoms by about 80%. I can breathe through my nose and my eyes are less itchy.

My fatigue is gone. I only need 7 hours of sleep a night and I wake up energized and ready to go. Ive also been able to hold a job.

I suffered from allergies year-round, not just seasonally. I was desperate to find a solution and Ive followed the schedule outlined by my doctor.

Ive also be retested a few times to make sure the allergy shots are working.; Guess what? I no longer react to many of the allergens I first tested positive for.

Treatment For Seasonal Perennial And Animal

In addition to the general measures described above:

No treatmentIf symptoms are mild, no treatment may be needed.

Eye dropsEye drops that reduce the allergic reaction are often prescribed.

The most commonly used eye drops are antihistamine eye drops and mast cell stabiliser eye drops. Eye drops usually work well. You need to use them regularly to keep symptoms away until the cause of the allergy goes away . Some people find one product works better than another. Therefore, if the first does not work so well, a switch to another may help. If your eyelids are very swollen, it may take several days for the drops to ease symptoms fully.

Note: tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, as some treatments may not be advised.

Eye drops and contact lensesMost drops contain preservatives. However, in some cases preservative-free versions are available, as the preservatives may also cause eye irritation or allergy! Soft contact lenses should not be worn whilst the drops are being used, as the preservatives can be absorbed into the lenses and can further irritate the eyes.

Allergies And What It Might Mean For Your Eyes

Runny nose? Scratchy throat? Sneezing? These can all be caused by allergies, but allergies can effect a lot more than your nose and throat. The eyes are subject to many different allergens as well, and unfortunately many people are susceptible to these allergies.

If you find that your eyes are getting red, swollen, and/or itchythen it is highly possible that it is due to an allergy pollen, pet dander, dust, freshly cut grass, etc In order to rid yourself of this frustration you need to figure out what is triggering your reaction and take action to stay ahead of the symptoms.

Eye allergies, or allergic conjunctivitis as it is known in the scientific community, is caused by a misfiring of the immune systemlike any other allergic reaction. When you have an allergic reaction, your body is reacting to something that isnt really harmful and releases histaminea chemical that causes swelling and inflammation. With eye allergies this makes the blood vessels in your eyes swell, making them get teary, red, and itchy.

The different types of eye allergies are as follows:

While most of the time allergic symptoms will materialize pretty quickly, it can sometimes take up to two to four days to make themselves known after exposure. Symptoms to keep an eye out for are as follows:

• Sensitivity to light
• Swollen eyelids
• Tearing or runny eyes

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What Are Allergic Conjunctivitis Symptoms

People with eye allergies suffer from redness, itching, burning, and clear discharge. Depending on the type of allergic conjunctivitis a person has, they may exhibit tearing, sensitivity to light, feeling that something is in the eye , puffiness, blurry vision, discomfort wearing contact lenses, swollen eyelids, or produce a thick, mucus discharge may be present. Some people with the condition also have nasal allergies, eczema, or asthma. All of these are allergic diseases.

An Oncoming Migraine Attack

Light is often intense for a person with migraine or another headache disorder. According to prominent headache special Dr. Michael Ament, a sudden onset of light sensitivity may actually be the first sign of an impending migraine attackoften to be followed by acute headache pain and other symptoms.1 And of course, we know that light exposure can trigger these symptoms as well.

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Care Advice For Eye Allergy

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 .

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Bottom Line On Eye Allergies

Eye allergies may seem like a minor complaint relative to some other medical conditions, but can seriously affect your quality of life. Whether your allergies occur only seasonally or are instead present year-round, avoidance is not always possible, nor always a healthy option.

Fortunately, there are many good treatments available which can reduce or eliminate your symptoms. Everyone is different with regard to which treatments work best. Some people prefer oral treatments whereas others prefer eye drops. Caution is needed with some of these medications to prevent rebound symptoms such as with conjunctivitis medicamentosa.)

Working with your allergist can help you find the treatment which best controls your symptoms and restores your quality of life. For some people, especially those who are also coping with allergic rhinitis or asthma, allergy shots may eventually eliminate your eye symptoms so that medications are no longer needed.

A Longer List Of Symptoms For Eye Infections

Red, itchy watery eyes and a burning sensation are common symptoms of eye allergies and infections. However, the latter has a longer list of symptoms, which include pain, a gritty feeling in the eyes, sensitivity to light, a thick discharge and a mucus-like discharge . In general, if you experience pain in your eyes or theres anything other than tears thats being discharged for them, theres a strong chance your eyes might be infected. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your;eye doctor;as soon as possible.;

Viral eye infections usually clear up on their own, although cold compresses and lubricating eye drops can help you manage symptoms. However, for bacterial eye infections, youll need to get a prescription.

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Eye Allergies: Symptoms Causes And Treatment

• Is There a Way to Prevent;Eye Allergies?

If you are one of the millions of Americans with eye allergies, then you know how annoying they can be. While allergies may affect only your eyes, more often nasal allergy symptoms are also present, such as sneezing, a stuffy nose, and respiratory symptoms.

If you are like many allergy sufferers, you treat your nasal and respiratory allergy symptoms and ignore your itchy, red, watery eyes. However, treating your eye symptoms is not impossible.

More than half of all reported cases occur in children, and the majority of people with allergies will have symptoms before the age of 30. However, allergies can develop at any age. A combination of genetic and environmental factors is believed to be the reason why allergies affect some people and not others.

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Red Eyes Sensitive To Light And Watery Eyes

• Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Reviewed on 12/1/2020

All of these symptoms can occur with conditions affecting the eyes such as pink eye and allergic reactions. Allergic reaction are typically also characterized by itching of the eyes. If you are troubled by these or other symptoms, seek the advice of a healthcare provider.

While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:

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Concussion Or Other Neurological Trauma

The force of a head trauma can have major neurological consequences. Light sensitivity is one of several eye-related side effects of concussion that can be reported by athletes, veterans and everyday patients upon sustaining the injury. It may only last a short amount of time and ultimately resolve itself as the injury heals, but there are instances where the symptom can become chronic as part of post-concussion syndrome.

Prolonged Exposure To Bright Light

Just like emerging from a dark environment can lead to immediate photophobic responses, so too can excessive exposure to bright light. For example, staring at the sun too long can lead to photokeratitis, which is a basically a sunburn on the cornea. Even if you do not experience long-term optical damage, you will often experience short-term light sensitivity, involuntary blinking, burning or watery eyes.

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Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis: Contact Lenses

Giant papillary conjunctivitis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the mucous membranes of the upper eyelids. It is most often caused by soft contact lenses, but it can occur with any type of lens, ocular prosthesis, or even exposed sutures.

If you suffer from giant papillary conjunctivitis, you may suffer from itchy eyes following removal of your contact lenses, irritation, redness, burning, mucous discharge, light sensitivity and increasing contact lens intolerance. These symptoms may begin months to years following your initial use of contact lenses. Sever symptoms such as blurring of vision can occur due to movement of your lenses secondary to the presence of giant cobblestones of mucosal tissue beneath the eyelid or from debris deposited on the lens during the underlying inflammatory process. This condition many occur more frequently if you have underlying allergies.

Daily Contact Lenses Are A Good Option

For many contact wearers suffering from allergies, daily disposable contact lenses are a good choice. This is because the contact lenses are thrown away each day. Because of this:

• Allergens like pollen and dust do not have time to build up on the lenses
• You dont use daily cleaners and disinfectants that could irritate the eye

Daily disposable contact lenses with an allergy makes sense. For more comfort from allergies, talk to your eye care professional about changing to daily lenses.

If you cannot wear daily disposable contact lenses, here are a few other things to try:

• Gas-permeable lenses: these have less build-up than other soft lenses
• Replace your soft contact lenses more often during allergy season
• Ask your eye doctor to recommend an alcohol-based contact cleaning solution

With the right lenses and the proper eye care, you can wear contact lenses even if you have an allergy. Plus, theres no need to feel unattractive or suffer from itchy, red eyes. Instead, ask your doctor and optometrist how you can improve your allergy symptoms. Together, theyll help you find the perfect solution!

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What Are The Symptoms Of Allergic Conjunctivitis

• Both eyes are usually affected and symptoms tend to develop quickly.
• The eyes are usually itchy and gritty.
• The skin on the inside of the eyelids looks red and sore.
• The whites of the eyes look red or pink.
• A burning feeling may occur, although the eyes are not usually painful.
• The eyelids tend to swell.
• The eyes water more than usual; however, they do not become too gluey or sticky.
• Vision is not affected.
• In severe cases the conjunctiva under the upper eyelids may swell and look lumpy.

Treatment Options For Eye Allergies

The “best” treatment overall for eye allergies is to avoid the allergic triggers – the allergens that lead to your symptoms. This, of course, is not always possible, and may actually be detrimental. For example, avoiding outdoor activities to reduce your eye allergy symptoms may lead to a lack of exercise and “cabin fever.” The balance between exposure to allergens and tolerating symptoms will be different for each person.

There are a number of simple measures for reducing dust mites and controlling other indoor allergens. With seasonal allergies, people may wish to limit their time outside when pollen counts are high or use an air purifier in their home.

Conservative or “natural treatments” can be helpful at times. These may include using cold compresses on your eyes and eyewashes with tear substitutes. While these can be of some benefit, many people need medications as well.

There are a number of different options for treating eye allergies, both over-the-counter, and prescription, and both oral preparations and those applied directly to your eyes.

Oral anti-histamines. Many people with allergic eye disease will receive benefit from oral antihistamines, such as prescription or over-the-counter Claritin Zyrtec Allegra Clarinex and Xyzal Older, first-generation antihistamines or hydroxyzine are also helpful, but are generally considered too sedating for routine use.

Topical antihistamines may be helpful and include:

• Emadine
• Lastacraft
• Optivar

• Alocril
• Patanol

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When Is It Eye Allergy When Is It Not

Other Conjunctivitis: When is it not an allergy? When the conjunctiva becomes red and inflamed, you may have pink eye. This is an infection, caused in most cases by a virus that may last up to a few weeks or, less frequently, its bacterial.

Discharge is often present, and the eyelids can be extremely swollen. Pink eye is frequently associated with a cold or respiratory infection. The bacterial kind often features a sticky, colored discharge, which can clamp the eyelids shut upon waking.

A more extreme form of allergic conjunctivitis is giant papillary conjunctivitis, or GPC, which affects those who wear contact lenses , since debris on the lens or rubbing can lead to irritation. Symptoms include tearing, mucus discharge, blurry vision, the sensation of a foreign body and difficulty tolerating contacts, and the answer is often to take a break from wearing lenses and use of medication.

Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: This eye allergy is generally more severe than seasonal or perennial conjunctivitis. It peaks between April and August, tending to affect those more in warm, dry climates. Thickening/swelling of the conjunctiva, as well as raised bumps may occur. Again, this needs early therapeutic treatment by an eye-care practitioner.

Excerpted from The New Allergy Solution: Supercharge Resistance, Slash Medication, Stop Suffering by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group LLC, A Penguin Random House Company © Clifford W. Bassett, MD. Visit Dr. Bassetts website here.

Causes Of Light Sensitivity

There are several conditions that can cause or worsen light sensitivity. Most are mild and can be successfully treated. Others are more serious health conditions that require immediate medical attention.;

People with a lighter eye color are also known to be more sensitive to light. Darker pigments protect against harsh lighting. Conditions like albinism are commonly linked to light sensitivity.;

Migraine is the most common cause of light sensitivity. A migraine is an intense headache that can also cause nausea and light sensitivity. They can be triggered by foods, stress, or hormone changes. Pain medications can relieve symptoms of migraine, and once it passes, light sensitivity diminishes too.;

Migraines can also be triggered by bright lighting, further demonstrating the strong link between the two conditions.;

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