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Allergy puffy eyes treatment: Allergic conjunctivitis Information | Mount Sinai

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Puffy and Swollen Eyelid Treatment: Home Remedies

Allergy symptoms often include itchy, watery, red, and swollen eyes. Here’s the scoop on medications and home remedies that can provide relief.

By Diana RodriguezMedically Reviewed by Justin Laube, MD

Reviewed:

Medically Reviewed

Red, itchy, and swollen eyes could be due to an allergic reaction.Dimitri Otis/Getty Images

Whether you’re out in the fresh spring air or cleaning your dusty basement, allergens run amok throughout the year. They trigger allergy symptoms like coughing, sneezing, stuffy and runny nose — and swollen eyes. Allergies can cause the eyes to swell and become red, itchy, watery, and really uncomfortable.

“The reason people have swollen eyes from allergies is they’re getting contact in the eyes from airborne allergens,” says Princess Ogbogu, MD, the director of the division of allergy and immunology and an associate professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

“Basically, when the allergens hit your eyes, they sort of dissolve in your tears,” says Dr. Ogbogu. “They have contact with the lining of the eye [the conjunctiva], and they react with antibodies that are bound to cells in your eyes.” These antibodies cause the body to release histamine — which also causes nasal congestion that often accompanies swollen eyes.

The allergens doing this damage include outdoor allergens such as pollen and molds, and indoor allergens such as pet dander and indoor molds.

RELATED: 11 Ways to Prevent Mold Allergies

How Bad Can Swollen Eyes Get?

Eye allergies are also known as allergic conjunctivitis, but unlike other forms of conjunctivitis (pink eye), eye allergies are not contagious, notes the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). And eye allergies usually affect both eyes.

In addition to burning or teary, watery eyes, allergies may make you sensitive to light, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). A runny nose, cough, or headache often go hand in hand with eye allergies. The AAFA also adds that your vision may be briefly blurry and you may feel distracted or sluggish and unproductive.

RELATED: Allergy Symptoms and Diagnosis

Tips to Ease Swollen Eyes

Remember, these are your eyes we’re talking about, so check with your doctor or ophthalmologist before you try any treatment. But if you’re looking for relief, consider the following home remedies and medical interventions.

Wash your face. Washing your face is one of the first things you should do to combat itchy, swollen eyes, says Ogbogu. It can help wash away the allergens sticking to your skin and eyelashes.

Rinse out the eyes. “Rinse out the eyes if you can with a little bit of water, and that’s usually helpful,” Ogbogu says. That will loosen the allergens from the inside of your eyes and help to flush them out.

Apply a cold compress.  “Cold compresses around the eyes can be helpful with itching and swelling,” says Ogbogu. Soak a towel or washcloth in cold water or refrigerate a damp cloth or eye pillow. Then lie down with the compress across your eyes to let the coolness reduce swollen eyelids.

Try allergy eye drops. Ogbogu suggests trying an over-the-counter eye drop made to soothe itchy, swollen eyes caused by allergies. An ophthalmologist might prescribe an antihistamine eye drop. The AAO cautions that using these drops for more than three days may actually increase irritating symptoms.

Mast cell stabilizer eye drops can also be effective, preventing the release of histamines in your body. Unlike antihistamines, these need to be administered before exposure to an allergen in order to prevent itching, notes the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

The AAO also notes that some people may be allergic to the preservatives in certain lubricating eye drops and suggests using preservative-free formulas if that’s the case.

Take oral medications or get allergy shots. Ogbogu says that over-the-counter or prescription allergy medications, including antihistamines, can provide some relief for milder allergy symptoms, including swollen eyes. In addition to oral medications, allergy shots (immunotherapy) can help keep allergy symptoms under control.

Additionally, an OTC nasal spray called Flonase (fluticasone) is a corticosteroid formulated to relieve itchy, watery eyes along with nasal congestion.

Stay indoors. “Weather conditions play a role,” says Ogbogu. A breezy day with lots of pollen in the air will continually re-expose you to allergens. On days when outdoor allergens are high, stay inside — and save outdoor activities for just after a rain, when fewer allergens fill the air.

It may be challenging, but avoid rubbing your eyes, as this can worsen symptoms.

Ogbogu says some do-it-yourself and home remedies aren’t always a good choice. “If you have intense redness that’s not leaving, you need to go see your doctor.”

And if any of the following occur, you should call your doctor immediately:

  • A feeling that there’s something stuck in your eye
  • Pain in the eye
  • Blurry vision
  • Decreased vision

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Eye Allergies – Allergic Conjunctivitis

What can you do for eye allergy treatment and relief?

The best thing to do is to totally avoid whatever eye allergens and irritants bother your eyes. However, this is hard since these triggers are airborne.

Here are some tips to keep your eyes clear, clean and comfortable:

  • Use a preservative-free eye wash or artificial tears to moisten dry, irritated eyes and help wash out allergens and irritants.
  • Put a damp washcloth in the freezer for a few minutes and then apply it to your eyelids to reduce itching and swelling.
  • Keep your hands away from your eyes. Wash your hands and face after being outside on high pollen and mold days.

What are some eye allergy medications?

First, talk with your doctor about developing an allergy treatment plan that addresses nasal, respiratory and eye symptoms.

Over-the-counter and prescription eyedrops and oral medications can also be used to treat eye allergies.

Over-the-counter
Oral antihistamines can help relieve itchy eyes, but they may also dry out the eyes. Decongestant eyedrops (with or without antihistamines) can help reduce eye redness associated with allergies, but they should not be used for more than three days or they may worsen irritation.

Prescription
Antihistamine eyedrops can reduce eye swelling, itching and redness associated with allergies. Antihistamine drops combined with a mast cell stabilizer provide relief for itching, redness and burning sensation and can also prevent symptoms.

For severe eye allergies, you may be prescribed mild corticosteroid drops – these should only be used for conjunctivitis caused by allergy, not bacterial infections. Eye allergies cause clear, watery discharges while bacterial infections cause yellow or greenish secretions.

Is it pink eye or allergies?

It can be difficult to tell the difference between allergic conjunctivitis and pink eye, a conjunctivitis caused by a virus or bacteria. Eye allergy tends to clear secretions and itching, while bacterial infections causing pink eye usually involve yellow or greenish discharge. Most conjunctivitis is viral rather bacterial and resolves well after applying warm compresses. If only one eye is affected, take care to not touch or apply anything to the unaffected eye after touching the eye with the issue.

Never put corticosteroid drops into your eyes without having a comprehensive eye exam. It is very difficult to tell the difference between conjunctivitis caused by allergy or conjunctivitis caused by bacteria; corticosteroids can be dangerous with certain bacterial diseases. Eye allergy tends to cause clear secretions and itching, while bacterial infections usually involve yellow or greenish secretions.

If you suspect that you have eye allergies visit a healthcare professional. Preventing and treating eye symptoms may be part of your overall treatment plan.

Can allergies cause dry eyes?

If your eyes feel dry and irritated in the winter months when there are fewer outdoor allergens, then you may have a form of tear dysfunction known as dry eye, or “keratoconjunctivitis sicca.” This is not an allergic reaction – it happens when your eyes either do not make enough tears or the tears they make go away very quickly.

Many people have dry eye, including about one-third of older adults. It’s commonly found in people with eye allergies as well. Symptoms are sometimes worse when it’s cold or windy outside, after you turn on the heat in your home, or if you’re in a dry environment. Some medications, including oral antihistamines, sleeping pills and anti-depressants, can cause symptoms.

What is the treatment for dry eye?

Artificial tears – lubricant eye drops – are the main treatment for dry eye. They can keep the eye moist and reduce symptoms. You can buy artificial tears at a drug store or grocery store without a prescription. They come in liquid, gel or ointments. Preservative-free artificial tears are best for long-term use, but they are more expensive.

Other things you can do to help improve dry eye include:

  • Try to blink a lot, especially when you are reading or using a computer. This helps keep your eyes moist.
  • Avoid excess air conditioning or heating as much as you can. Also avoid sitting directly in the flow of cold or hot air.
  • Use a humidifier in your bedroom and any other space where you spend a lot of time.
  • Use goggles or “moisture chambers” if your doctor or nurse suggests them. Moisture chambers are special devices that fit on your glasses. They can help keep your eyes moist. You can buy moisture chambers at most stores that sell glasses.

Additional treatments include prescription eye drops and anti-inflammatory medicines. If these are not successful, tear duct plugs or surgery that requires the assistance of an ophthalmologist may be recommended.

Many people with difficult-to-control dry eye struggle with wearing contact lenses and may need to stop using them for as long as symptoms persist.

What should I do if my eyes are swollen due to allergies?

Eye allergy is a phenomenon familiar to many people. It can be caused by various factors: flowering plants, animal hair, conjunctivitis and others. In this case, a very strong allergic edema may appear in the eyes. How to deal with it before meeting with the doctor? We will tell you what you can do at home to eliminate these symptoms.

An allergy is an abnormal reaction of the body to the effects of a substance. This is due to disorders in the immune system. There are a great many allergens – more than 20 thousand of them are known to doctors! Usually their action is primarily manifested in the eyes, since the mucous membrane is extremely sensitive. What happens to the eyes during an allergy attack?

Symptoms

The organs of vision begin to react immediately to the stimulus, and the following manifestations are observed:

  • redness of the conjunctiva and proteins;
  • itchy eyes, tearing;
  • sensitivity to light;
  • pain on moving the eyes;
  • purulent discharge, swelling of the eyelids.

Swollen eyelids are one of the most common symptoms during an allergic attack. The longer the stimulus lasts, the more the eyelids can swell. This is dangerous for the health of the eyes, since swelling can go to other mucous organs – the nasopharynx, throat, mucous membranes. In such a situation, you need to take prompt measures to eliminate puffiness. If it is strong enough and progresses, be sure to call an ambulance. With a slight swelling, you can use medicines and folk remedies.

Folk medicine

Various types of compresses are a long-known and effective way to remove eye swelling. To do this, you need to make an infusion of medicinal herbs – for example, succession, chamomile, sage, and also brew strong black tea or dilute baking soda. Moisten a cotton swab in any of the listed liquids and apply to the edema for 10-15 minutes. This will contribute to the effective outflow of fluid from the subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Another popular folk remedy is simple food compresses. Grate an apple, potato or cucumber, wrap it in a gauze bag and apply it to your eyes. An ice pack will also help.

Adsorbent

If the cause of the allergic reaction is a food product, it must be removed from the body as soon as possible. The most famous and affordable adsorbent is activated carbon, as well as Enterosgel, Polysorb, Polyphepan and the like. Their reception is well combined with compresses. In the absence of any adsorbents in the first aid kit, you can simply drink more water in order to quickly cleanse the body of the allergen (it will be excreted along with the liquid).

Medicines

Every person who suffers from periodic allergic attacks will definitely have a stockpile of antihistamines at home. To eliminate edema, you need to take any similar medication, for example, Telfast, Suprastin, Tavegil, Zirtek and others from this category of drugs. The place of edema can be lubricated with hydrocortisone, salicylic ointment, as well as “Nise” or “Elocom”.

What causes swelling of the eyes in case of allergies?

With a sharp and rapidly progressive swelling, it can turn into Quincke’s edema, which manifests itself in inflammation of other mucous membranes (nasopharynx, tongue), as well as severe reddening of the skin. The reaction to an allergen is sometimes so strong that the eye can close completely and even suffocation begins. Such symptoms are not uncommon with insect bites (midges, bees, wasps). In addition, allergic edema can spread to the cornea, iris, optic nerve, and uveal tract. If you do not take emergency measures, then this can lead to a serious deterioration in vision.

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Allergy in the eyes – symptoms, causes and treatment of an allergic reaction in adults

Author, editor and medical expert – Anna Alexandrovna Petrashevich.

Editor and medical expert – Harutyunyan Mariam Harutyunovna.

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Date last updated: 2 Contents:

Allergy eye symptoms
Allergy classification
Why eyes swell
What happens if allergies are not treated
Possible allergy treatment regimens
Benefits of using VIZIN® Allergy

irritant. Usually this disease makes itself felt in childhood. Much less often, signs of an allergic reaction first appear in adults. One of the most frequent “targets” of this disease are the skin and mucous membranes, while often there is an allergy to the eyes. This is because the organs of vision are directly exposed to airborne stimuli. These include animal hair, house dust, pollen, mold spores, etc. Eye irritation often occurs due to cosmetics (mascara, eyeliner, pencil and other makeup products).

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Allergy Ocular Symptoms

Symptoms occur in response to the irritating action of an allergen. First, there is inflammation of the conjunctiva, which develops due to vasodilation and increased blood flow. Outwardly, it looks like redness of the eyes. In most cases, this stage becomes only the beginning, followed by another sign – edema. Often with allergies, the eyes itch and watery, itching occurs.

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Allergy classification

Seasonal. In this case, eye allergy symptoms appear at certain times of the year, usually during the spring and summer months. It is usually caused by plant pollen. The most frequent provocateur is the flowering of oak, birch, bluegrass, ash, dandelion, ambrosia, timothy, rye. At the same time, these plants do not necessarily have to grow close to humans. The wind can carry pollen 50-300 km, so it can be difficult to independently determine what exactly caused the signs of allergy in the eyes.

Year-round. This species does not depend on the season. In this case, chronic eye allergy can be observed, because the irritating factor is often near the person all the time. Allergens in this case can be skin scales, animal hair, mold spores, waste products of dust mites. Sometimes symptoms appear after taking certain medications or using household chemicals.

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Why eyes swell

The longer the mucous membrane of the eyes is in contact with the allergen, the more pronounced the swelling becomes. This is due to the fact that fluid is pulled up to it, which accumulates in the skin of the eyelids, where the largest amount of adipose tissue is observed. In addition, such a reaction can be produced by lymphocytic tissue located deep in the conjunctiva. In this case, local edema is formed, which looks like a lot of tubercles-follicles. Such changes in the lymphocytic tissue lead to a weakening of the protective functions, since the lacrimal glands located in the edema zone cannot work in the same mode. Such a violation is fraught with the penetration of viruses and bacteria, which lead to the development of inflammation.

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What happens if the allergy is not treated

The most common manifestation of eye mucosal allergy is conjunctivitis, which occurs due to a local inflammatory reaction. However, it is very rarely the only symptom of an allergy. In the future, there is swelling, redness of the eyelids. If you do not isolate a person from the allergen, photophobia and mucous discharge from the eyes may be added to the listed symptoms. Allergies often cause a feeling of sand in the eyes. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the nasal ducts, allergic rhinitis can join the symptoms of allergies in the eyes. In order not to start this chain reaction, it is important to take timely measures to alleviate the very first signs of the disease.

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Possible allergy treatment regimens

Comprehensive approach. Diagnosis is of great importance in the choice of treatment regimen. Identification of an allergen allows you to eliminate or minimize contact with it. So, if it is pollen, it is better not to go outside in the morning, because during this period its concentration in the air is the highest. On the contrary, rain nails pollen to the ground, so allergy sufferers feel better after it. If contact with the allergen cannot be completely excluded, measures should be taken to alleviate the manifestations of the disease. Since, in addition to the occurrence of puffiness, allergies are accompanied by many other symptoms, the treatment of this disease should be aimed at getting rid of each of them. Measures should be taken not only during the period of exacerbation. You can help your eyes even before the first symptoms appear, especially if the allergy is seasonal. For these purposes, moisturizing drops may be suitable. You should also rinse your eyes with clean water as often as possible.

Use of antihistamines. Histamine is a substance produced in the body, which is one of the mediators of the development of an allergic reaction. The receptors that produce it are also located on the mucous membrane of the eye. Typically, antihistamines are used for severe allergy symptoms. They can help with itching, swelling, redness of the mucosa. Antihistamines contain h2-receptor blockers, due to which the reactive reaction to the allergen begins to decrease. Produced in the form of drops, such drugs act directly at the site of the lesion.

Eye moisturizing. Tissues of the lacrimal glands recover for a long time. To facilitate this process, you can use moisturizing eye drops at the first symptoms of an allergy. Their action will minimize the damage to the glandular tissue, and therefore, prevent or reduce the swelling of the eyes, which usually leads to blockage of the lacrimal glands. Therapy using topical moisturizing drops can last about a month.

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The main active ingredient of VIZIN 9 eye drops0132 ® Alergi – levocabastine hydrochloride. It is a powerful selective blocker of h2-histamine receptors, due to which swelling, itching and other allergy symptoms are eliminated in a short time. VIZIN ® Allergy drops are the latest generation of antihistamines. The drug has the following advantages.

  • Rapid relief of symptoms. VISIN® Allergy drops for 5 minutes 1 after instillation may relieve swelling, itching and other manifestations of allergies. The effect of the drug lasts up to 12 hours.
  • High safety profile. The drug is used topically, due to which it combines both speed of action and safety. At the same time, the risk of developing adverse reactions associated with its use is minimal.
  • Possibility of long-term use. Instructions for the use of drops VIZIN® Allergy does not contain restrictions on the duration of use of the drug.