While it’s enjoyable and refreshing to spend a day outdoors in Olathe, people who suffer from allergies won’t fare well when the pollen count is high. If allergies bother you, you may return home with itchy, red, watery and swollen eyes. These are all typical symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis. In addition to plant pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and dust mites can all cause these painful sensations.
If you experience eye and/or eyelid irritation that doesn’t disappear rapidly, we invite you to visit Galbrecht Eyecare in the Olathe West Walmart, for effective treatment. Our expert and compassionate eye doctor, Dr. Diane M. Galbrecht, specializes in providing treatment for allergies in Olathe and all surrounding neighborhoods. With a thorough approach and friendly manner, your local Walmart optometrist will perform a complete eye exam to confirm that allergies are the culprit. Following your eye exam, we will provide treatment to alleviate your painful vision.
What causes eye allergies?
To explain briefly, eye allergy symptoms appear when your immune system reacts to a specific substance as an allergen. Common allergens include pollen (which leads to seasonal allergies, like hay fever), dust, perfumes, cigarette smoke, mold, pet dander, and cosmetics.
In response to the allergen, your body releases antibodies into your bloodstream. In turn, these antibodies then release chemicals into your cells that lead to all the uncomfortable symptoms of an allergic reaction. The symptoms of eye allergies typically emerge very soon after you are exposed to the allergen. While your vision is not in any danger, these symptoms can be painful. For relief, schedule an appointment with your optometrist in Olathe as soon as possible.
What are the symptoms of eye allergies?
- Itchiness
- Redness
- Watery eyes
- Swollen eyelids
- Grittiness in your eyes
- Sensitivity to light
Beware of assuming that the above symptoms are a definite sign of eye allergies! All of them could also point towards a different medical problem that requires professional evaluation and treatment from your optometrist. Contact Galbrecht Eyecare in the Olathe West Walmart to book an appointment. Remember, you need an accurate diagnosis in order to benefit from the most suitable treatment!
Treatment for Allergies in Olathe
The best way to avoid eye allergies is to avoid the allergen. However, that’s not always possible. Here are some common treatments to bring relief from uncomfortable or painful allergic symptoms:
- Wash your hands well after coming in contact with plants or petting any furry creatures
- Wear wraparound sunglasses to prevent pollen from reaching your eyes
- Don’t rub your eyes, as this can spread allergens easily
- Rinse your eyes with saline after spending time outside; this will wash allergens out from eye tissues
- Prescription drugs, such as mast cell stabilizers and corticosteroids, may help alleviate the irritation of eye allergies
- Your Walmart optometrist may recommend oral antihistamines and over-the-counter eye drops to suppress the allergic reaction. While this may serve as an effective short-term solution, prolonged use of some eye drops may worsen your problem.
- A vacuum with a HEPA filter may help reduce allergens in your home, if indoor allergies are your problem.
Contact Lenses & Eye Allergies
Allergies can remove the comfort out of wearing contact lenses. Airborne allergens can adhere to your contacts, directly leading to irritation. To cope with this, we may recommend that you reduce the amount of time you wear your lenses when the pollen count is high. An alternate solution that our Walmart optometrist often advises is to switch to daily disposable contact lenses. Since they are thrown away before there is time for irritants to accumulate on the lens surface, the effects of allergens are minimized. Special rinsing eye drops may also be helpful.
Dr. Diane Galbrecht specializes in eye allergies at our convenient Walmart office in Olathe, KS. We urge you to schedule your eye exam as soon as you notice any irritation – don’t wait for your eyes to feel worse!
