Attention! Never rub your eyes casually, it may cause these serious consequences!

Have you ever had this experience: your eyes are red, swollen and itchy after waking up in the morning, and you can't open them, but when you rub them, they get worse? This may be allergic conjunctivitis.

So how do you tell if your eyes are allergic or simply tired? How can you prevent and relieve eye allergies?

01

What is allergic conjunctivitis?

Allergic reaction, also known as hypersensitivity reaction, refers to the abnormal immune response of the body to external or self-antigen substances. Allergic conjunctivitis is an allergic reaction of the conjunctiva of the eye to external allergens.

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In addition to spring pollen, common allergens include dust mites, animal hair and dander, dust, chemicals, etc. For example, changes in the composition of the atmosphere due to climate change (increases in spring pollen, dust in sandstorms, etc.), chemicals around the face and eyes (skin care products, cosmetics, perfume, etc.), and tissues shed during pet breeding (hair, dander, saliva, etc.).

02

What are the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis?

Common symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include: conjunctival congestion, redness and swelling around the eyes; itchy eyes, burning sensation and foreign body sensation; increased eye secretions and tearing; fear of light, obvious dryness of the eyes during the day, and relief of symptoms at night.

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When the above discomfort occurs in the eyes, it can be considered that conjunctivitis has occurred and needs to be treated in time. However, it is not recommended to use eye drops on your own , but you need to go to a regular hospital for relevant examinations and symptomatic treatment.

In addition, it is especially important to avoid rubbing your eyes when they are already uncomfortable . Although rubbing may temporarily relieve dryness and itchiness, hands that are not thoroughly cleaned may bring microbial infection to the eyes. In addition, vigorous rubbing may cause mechanical damage to the conjunctiva, causing more serious problems.

03

How to effectively prevent and alleviate

Allergic conjunctivitis?

1. Avoid contact with allergens

Removing allergens is the most effective approach, but in real life it is difficult to avoid them 100%. We can minimize contact with allergens and relieve and avoid allergic symptoms in the following ways.

① Outdoors:

Try to reduce outdoor activities as much as possible, wear goggles and masks when outdoors, clean thoroughly after returning home and change clothes if necessary.

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②Indoors:

Pay attention to indoor ventilation or use an air purifier, use a dehumidifier/humidifier to maintain indoor humidity, regularly clean the room, thoroughly remove dust and skin, and reduce indoor allergens. It should be noted that machines such as humidifiers need to be cleaned regularly, otherwise they will also become new sources of pollution.

2. Develop good living habits

Measures that can improve health, such as regular work and rest, moderate exercise, and attention to nutritional balance, can actually avoid or alleviate allergy symptoms to a certain extent. After all, allergies are actually abnormalities of the human immune system. By maintaining a stable state through a regular life, the occurrence of allergies can also be reduced.

During the onset of the disease, you should pay attention to avoid the intake of spicy, high-protein and other allergenic foods , avoid excessive use of your eyes, and pay attention to the combination of work and rest.

3. Pay attention to eye hygiene

When your eyes feel sore, itchy and swollen, be sure not to rub them with your hands to avoid falling into a vicious cycle of rubbing more and more when the itchiness becomes worse.

If you have eye discomfort, you can use artificial tears to reduce the concentration of local inflammatory factors, improve symptoms of redness, swelling and itching, and relieve pain. You can also apply appropriate cold compresses. Gently press the ice pack on the eyelids, and try not to wrap the ice pack with a towel, because towels are difficult to clean thoroughly and may also become a source of contamination.

In addition, you should also be careful to prevent condensed water from entering your eyes when the ice pack melts, causing infection. In addition to ice packs, you can also use anti-allergic eye drops or artificial tears in the refrigerator.

When allergies occur, be careful to avoid wearing contact lenses to prevent adding burden to the eyes and aggravating symptoms. At the same time, reduce the frequency of eye makeup and try not to apply skin care products/cosmetics around the eyes.

Author: Hydra Science Creator

Reviewer: Jiang Yang, deputy chief physician of ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

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