Pollen counts in Connecticut are rising, especially with a longer spring and summer on the horizon. Itchy eyes are classic for allergic conjunctivitis but there are many other signs that come up that may get you thinking – is this allergy or is this something else?
In allergic conjunctivitis, the sensitive tissue covering around the eye, or conjunctiva, becomes sensitized to pollen, dust, or dander from your favorite furry friend. Inflammatory molecules are released and voila your little one (or you as the hardworking parent!) are left with scratchy, red and teary eyes that are not improved with your standard artificial tears. Sometimes, swelling around the eyelids may also be present. However, any time you wake up with a red, irritated eye, it may not necessarily be ‘just allergies’.
If you have had a recent fever, cough, cold or sore throat, and your symptoms started in one eye and spread to the other, there is a high chance that your red eye may be the dreaded pink eye. Pink eye generally feels gritty and is associated with white mucous-like discharge rather than stringy discharge associated with allergies. If you are worried that you have pink eye, the most important thing is to perform proper hand hygiene and avoid sharing items with others to minimize spreading it to your friends and loved ones. An ophthalmologist or optometrist can formally diagnose pink eye and let you know when it is safe to return to work and normal activities.
Bacterial conjunctivitis usually happens from some sort of external exposure – think of using old contact lens solution (ick!) or getting dirt or debris in your eye. Usually, the discharge in this case is yellow or green and one eye is generally affected without rapid spread to the other eye as seen more commonly in viral cases.
None of your symptoms suggest viral or bacterial infection? Think allergy. To make matters more confusing, there are lots of types of allergic conjunctivitis – some give patients symptoms year-round, while others are more seasonal. In fact, depending on the type, your eye doctor may prescribe a stronger anti-inflammatory eye drop when over-the-counter remedies just don’t cut it. Not to mention in some cases, persistent inflammation of the eyes due to hypersensitivity (or allergic-type) reactions can lead to blurred vision overtime if not appropriately treated.
Sometimes it’s hard to know when it is necessary to see an eye doctor for itchy, scratchy, watery eyes. A simple rule-of-thumb is if your symptoms are not relieved by artificial tears and/or standard allergy eye drops (I prefer Pataday or Naphcon-A) or if you or your little one are experiencing blurred vision, it is best to make an appointment with your local eye doctor.
For more information, please visit the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus page on allergic conjunctivitis:Â https://aapos.
