Pollen, Dust and Mold: How to Treat Eye Allergies

March 23rd, 2021

Allergies Can Feel Like an Attack on Your Well-Being, Especially Your Eyes

Allergies are frustrating, annoying, sometimes embarrassing, and can affect your health in surprising ways as your immune system goes on alert against seasonal and indoor allergens. How can you reduce the effect of allergens on your health, appearance, and comfort? Top eye care specialists in Denver offer several ideas on how to alleviate allergy impacts on your eyes.

Avoiding Allergens Indoors and Out

Allergic reactions are your eyes’ natural attempts to protect themselves from contaminants. Their reactions can be pretty dramatic, and it makes sense to reduce the effect of pollen, dust, mold, and other allergens on them. Allergens are small particles that also physically irritate the eye, providing discomfort in addition to the allergic reaction. Indoors, room and whole-house air filters (ask your HVAC service provider) including HEPA filters can reduce allergens in the air.

Regular cleaning, especially bedrooms, is important also, including surface dust, remediation of mold from lingering moisture, and cleaning HVAC ducts to reduce the spread of dust and allergens from your heating and cooling system. Keeping indoor humidity below 50% can significantly reduce insect and mold allergens.

Outdoors, wearing sunglasses or even wraparound sunglasses can help keep allergens from being blown into your eyes. Artificial tears can be used as needed to help with comfort and hydration of your eyes.

Allergy Medicines for Your Whole Body and Just Your Eyes

In addition to allergy medication, there are a number of eyedrops for allergies, several of which are now available over the counter instead of by prescription. Ask your eye care specialists in Denver which are best for you, especially if you have existing eye conditions or recent surgery such as cataract and LASIK eye surgery in Colorado.

Allergies and Glaucoma?

There are a few connections between allergies and glaucoma, too. Glaucoma is a condition where elevated eye pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve, often because of blocked drainage in the eye. In some rare cases allergy medicines, which can cause dilation of the pupil, can cause an acute or narrow-angle glaucoma attack in patients whose eye structure predisposes them to this effect.

For Seasonal Eye Concerns and Complete Vision Care, Consult ICON Eye Care

Our team looks forward to seeing you for your eye care, from eye allergy care to glaucoma checks to cataract and LASIK eye surgery. Call us today for an appointment.