Eye allergies are much more common than you may think. Most people do not know the causes and do not understand when it is really important to go to a doctor. Statistics highlight the fact that there are around 50 million US citizens that suffer from allergies. The allergic reactions that are connected to the eyes are really common. Eye allergies can affect conjunctiva, the common condition being named allergic conjunctivitis.
Eye Allergy Causes
Most of the eye allergies will affect your conjunctiva, which is a skin layer that overlies the eyes. It is basically the same type that you find inside nose surface. As the areas are really similar, we are faced with the same exact allergens that would trigger similar responses. The most common triggers for eye allergies include:
- grass
- pet dander
- dust
- pollen
- grass
There is a difference between PAC and SAC allergy types for the eyes in symptom timing. When faced with SAC, problems appear for lower periods of time. During the spring it is normal to be affected by tree pollen and during summer by the pollen from the grass. Symptoms normally get resolved fast during the winter. When faced with PAC allergies, the problems do normally appear all around the year. In this case the problems appear with the indoor allergens like pet dander, dust mites and cockroaches.
Symptoms Of Eye Allergies
In order to realize when you have to absolutely go to the doctor, you have to be aware of the symptoms that are associated with the condition. Both PAC and SAC eye allergies have the same symptoms and in most situations we are faced with itching as being the most common of them. Allergic conjunctivitis always has itchy eyes as the main symptom. Besides this, the person that suffers can also think about the following:
- tearing
- blurred vision
- burning sensation
- redness
- mucus production
- matting
When Should You Go To The Doctor?
In the event that you are suffering from the eye allergies but you identified and managed to avoid the triggers, your symptoms will usually improve quite fast. If the allergens are not identified, it is vital that you go to the doctor as soon as possible as the ophthalmologist will have to consult you.
When faced with SAC eye allergies, a meeting with the doctor should be scheduled before the season in which you are more likely to have the allergy manifest itself. Treatment can be done before that. If you are suffering from PAC eye allergies, there is a necessity to have routine appointments set up with the ophthalmologist for monitoring purposes. If you have flare-ups that are occasional, more frequent doctor visits are necessary. Going to an allergist is always a good idea, no matter what you suffer from.