Eye allergies are common and can be irritating or even painful. At Wellington Eye Care, serving Fort Collins and Wellington, CO, we treat dry eyes, itchy eyes, and eye allergies.
What Causes Eye Allergies?
Irritated eyes have several causes. Pollen, dust, pet dander, pet hair, dry air, smog, pollutants, and cigarette smoke can irritate a person's eyes, causing them to itch or be red and puffy.
Other times, your eyes will react is when they are exposed to forest fire smoke, campfire smoke, or fireplace smoke. Commonly, people experience a reaction when cutting up onions.
Sometimes eyes are itchy and dry because they are overly strained. Too much reading or too much straining to see with the wrong prescription lenses cause this too.
Reducing exposures to the things that cause red, swollen, dry, and itchy eyes can help alleviate the allergy. Sometimes, over-the-counter allergy medications can help.
More Serious Causes
Then there are times when a regular eye allergy needs a bit more intervention to heal. Sometimes eyes are suffering from a condition called conjunctivitis. There are a few kinds: viral, bacterial, and allergic. Conjunctivitis is also called “pink eye.”
These types of conjunctivitis cause the white part of the eyes to redden and swell with discharge. These symptoms can be painful at times.
- Allergic: This type of conjunctivitis is not contagious. It can cause a red, itchy, and sometimes dry eye. The liquid displayed is usually transparent and very watery, and sometimes the eyelid also swells.
- Viral: This kind is highly contagious and is the kind most known to travel through workplaces and schools. Along with the dry, red, and itchy eyes, there's usually a sticky film that coats the eyes and may seal the eye shut while sleeping.
- Bacterial: This form of conjunctivitis is very contagious and has a white puss instead of a transparent or crusty coating.
Our optometrist can see what condition you're experiencing and determine the best course of treatment. A viral infection won't necessarily require medication, but a bacterial infection will. For all of these kinds, both cold and warm compresses over the eyes can help ease some symptoms while you recover.
Eye Drops
Eye drops provided by our optometrist can help you get over eye allergies. There are many kinds of eye drops available on the market. Not all of them are explicitly meant to deal with eye allergies and might cause more harm than good based on your situation. Our eye doctors will provide the proper treatment.
Contact Wellington Eye Care Today
If you're experiencing eye allergies that aren't resolving or are more severe than what is typical for you, please call us as soon as possible. At Wellington Eye Care, serving Fort Collins and Wellington, CO, we treat eye allergies. Call us today to schedule an appointment.