There are many allergic conjunctivitis treatment options for sufferers of this common ailment. Allergic conjunctivitis occurs when there the conjunctiva of the eye becomes swollen or inflamed for allergic reasons. Allergies are often inherited through family lines, but are difficult to track as many different conditions are combined when speaking about allergies in general. A local physician may wish to inspect the discharge from a patient’s eyes to check for the presence of specific white blood cells, known as eosinophils, that indicate an allergic reaction. Another indicator of an allergic reaction will be small bumps that can be found on the inside of a patient’s eyelids. Most frequently, this condition is caused by hay fever or a reaction to common allergens such as pet dander or pollen. When the allergens come into contact with a person’s eyes, histamines are released by the body to attack the allergen. These histamines are what caused the general symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis.

Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis are expected to differ between the different seasons of the year, with summer being the worst time for a patient suffering from an allergy and winter being a time that allergies are much less common. Some seasonal allergic conjunctivitis symptoms may include the following signs: eye redness, dilated blood vessels within the eye, itching, a burning sensation, swollen eyelids, stringy eye discharge, or excessive tearing. Itching is by far the most common symptom, with over 75% of all patients reporting this symptom in confirmed cases of allergic conjunctivitis. A patient who scratches or rubs the eyes to gain relief from the symptoms will only aggravate them worse. The histamine that causes symptoms is released by mast cells and creates problems by irritating the nerve endings, which results in extra tears being released by the tear ducts. These symptoms can alter the life of a patient as they may feel it necessary to stay indoors or discontinue other activities to avoid contact with the allergen.

While there is no permanent cure for seasonal allergic conjunctivitis symptoms, there are many ways to reduce the problem of allergic conjunctivitis and deal with the resulting symptoms. Prevention is obviously the most effective option. Many users are able to stop allergic conjunctivitis from happening by simply avoiding the specific allergen that causes the condition. If the allergen is encountered and the symptoms are mild, a cold compress can be used to provide relief. In addition, there are many antihistamine medications available for purchase, such as the well-known Benadryl. These medications reduce the amount of histamine being produced by the body, thus effectively lowering the severity and number of problems. For a more serious case, a patient may need to visit a local doctor to seek stronger forms of antihistamines or other medical treatment options. The physician may use eye steroid preparations to deal with the condition or may prescribe eye drops in addition to antihistamines to help a patient cope with the condition. A patient who is not able to get rid of the symptoms by normal methods should contact a doctor to discuss other allergic conjunctivitis treatment methods.

Useful information: Oral allergies | Vision Care

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