How to care for swollen eyes caused by allergies, according to allergies

Allergies can bring havoc throughout your body – everything starts from a rash and sneezes the chest and vomiting. Your eyes can also be influenced by allergies, with a condition called allergic conjunctivitis, or swollen eyes or eyelids, caused by allergens.

The good news: There are several treatment options for those who suffer from swollen eyes because of allergies, but not everyone must try to treat symptoms at home. Below, you will find out about the causes and treatment options for allergic conjunctivitis, plus when you need to meet your doctor for help with your symptoms.

What is allergic conjunctivitis?

Different allergens can cause allergic conjunctivitis, including animal hair, mold, and dust mites, per medineplus, resources from the US National Library. When your eyes are exposed to allergic substances, this causes your body to release a substance called histamine. When this happens, blood vessels in your conjunctiva – membranes that cover the front of your eyes and the inside of your eyelids – become swollen.

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When you experience allergic conjunctivitis, it might be difficult to tell which part of the eye, precisely, swelling – and the answer is not always the same, Hajee Feryyal, MD, an allergic and immunological expert in Metropolitan asthma and allergies in Little Silver, New Jersey, tells of health. Sometimes, when someone suffers from allergic conjunctivitis, the actual eyeball swollen. This must guarantee travel directly to medical facilities. However, next time, swollen eyelids, which must be treated, but do not always guarantee the trip to the emergency room, Dr. Hajee.

Allergy conjunctivitis has been associated with health conditions related to other allergies, said Dr. Hajee, including eczema (a rash caused by allergies), asthma, and allergic rhinitis (or seasonal allergies). He added that allergic conjunctivitis could be worse for patients who also suffer from dry eye syndrome.

What are the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis?

In addition to swelling, here are symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, according to Asma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA):

Redness

Burning

Itchy

Watery eyes

The feeling that there is a grit or dirt in your eyes

According to AAFA, you might pay attention to the following things in relation to the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis: sneezing, coughing, itching or cold, and sinus headaches (all of which are symptoms of other allergic reactions).

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How do allergic conjunctivitis?

Often with allergic symptoms, the best action is to just avoid triggers Allergic reactions – for example, if you are allergic to cats and you know your friends have cats, suggest meeting places outside their home so that you don’t risk having an allergic reaction to their pets. The same applies to allergic conjunctivitis, Kanwalwaljit Brar, MD, an allergy expert at NYU Langone, told health. “The best approach is to be a prevention,” Dr. Brar explained.

Experts suggest making an appointment with an allergy if you often suffer because of allergic conjunctivitis – if your eyelids start swollen and your eyes start watering at a random seems – and you don’t know what your allergens are. “If you see allergies, you can identify what you are allergic to it; we can predict when the patient’s symptoms will occur,” Dr. Brar.