Nearly 16 million Americans have dry eye and many more experience seasonal allergies. Dealing with both of these issues at the same time can be even more difficult.
Dry eye and eye allergies can both lead to symptoms such as redness, itchiness, and soreness. Because the symptoms of dry eye and eye allergies are very similar, however, doing a few simple things can go a long way in helping you get relief.
Here’s how to treat both allergies and dry eyes simultaneously.
Are Allergies and Dry Eyes the Same?
Although dry eye and eye allergies are very similar problems, they aren’t exactly the same.
Many people confuse the two and believe that they’re experiencing one issue when really they’re actually experiencing the other. This is because these conditions lead to many similar symptoms. These symptoms include itchy eyes, soreness, stinging feelings, and more.
Anyone can experience these types of eye issues. They may occur whether you wear glasses and contact lenses or you don’t need vision correction at all.
It’s important to realize that if you experience one of these eye conditions, then it’s more likely that you’ll experience the other one as well.
For example, dry eyes won’t lubricate and remove allergens properly, so eye allergies can be more significant as well. Similarly, allergies can lead to eye allergy problems and could also lead to more pronounced dry eye symptoms.
Fortunately, there are some types of home remedies and treatments that are effective for both issues. A few habits and treatments can help you manage the symptoms of both issues and allow you to find relief.
Treating Symptoms
There are a few things you can do to treat both of these eye issues at the same time. Here’s what you can do.
Use Cold Compresses
Cold compresses can be beneficial for dry eyes and can provide eye allergy relief.
Using a cold compress can help to reduce the redness and swelling that can be caused by either dry eyes or allergies and can also reduce minor eye pain as well. Be sure to check out this page on cold eye compresses to learn more about how they can help.
Minimize Contact Use
If you experience dry eye symptoms and allergies, switching to glasses instead of contact lenses can be helpful. Contacts can carry allergens and cause irritation.
If you do choose to wear them, consider getting contacts that aren’t daily disposables, or ask your doctor about contacts that can help keep your eyes more moist each day.
Stay Hydrated
Getting plenty of hydration can also help you manage the symptoms of dry eye and eye allergies. You’ll want to be sure that you’re getting an adequate amount of water each day.
Experts recommend that you get at least eight glasses of water daily to stay hydrated and healthy. Doing so can help to prevent dryness in the eyes as well as other symptoms.
Use Humidifiers
Using a humidifier in your home can also help you deal with these two types of eye problems as well.
Humidifiers can increase the humidity in the air and help keep your eyes as moist as possible. This humidity can help to reduce dryness, redness, and irritation and can improve the stability of the tear film.
Because they are so similar, humidifiers will help with both allergy symptoms and dry eye symptoms.
Reduce Exposure
To protect yourself and reduce the symptoms of allergies and dry eyes, you may want to reduce your exposure to allergens in the first place.
During the allergy season, allergens that can lead to dry eyes, as well as the symptoms associated with eye allergies, include pollen, dust, pet dander, mold, and smoke.
Aim to stay inside more during the allergy season. This can help you feel better and prevent dry eye and allergy issues.
Using Medications
There are some over-the-counter medications that can help with dry eyes and allergies.
One of the main types of medications that you may want to use is allergy eye drops. Eye drops can help with allergy symptoms and dry eyes and can reduce redness, dryness, and itchiness.
Be sure that you don’t overuse eye drops, however. They can end up making pre-existing dry eye worse over time by washing away natural tears.
Another type of medication to consider using is artificial tears. Artificial tears can be used more often than standard allergy eye drops and don’t contain antihistamines, decongestants, or preservatives.
Artificial tears don’t treat allergies but simply help prevent dryness. However, they can be a useful tool in the fight against allergy symptoms.
Although eye drops and artificial tears may be helpful, be careful with the use of oral antihistamines. While it may seem like a good idea to use them, they’re actually more harmful than helpful when it comes to dealing with dry eyes.
In some cases, oral antihistamines can further dry out the tear film in the eyes and can make it harder for them to stay moist. They can reduce tear production and make dry eye symptoms worse.
Finding Relief With These Tips
If you want to treat both allergies and dry eyes at the same time, there are a few things that can help. Using cold compresses, staying hydrated, using a humidifier, and reducing your exposure to allergens can all be well worth it if you suffer from either of these issues.
Need more helpful tips for the allergy season? Find more helpful guides by browsing our blog now.
