Can Allergies Trigger Dry Eye Symptoms? How to Manage Both

Do your eyes feel dry, gritty, and itchy during allergy season? You might be dealing with more than just hay fever. Allergies and dry eye often occur together, and understanding the link can help you find better relief.

Allergies happen when your body overreacts to substances like pet dander, pollen, or dust mites, which are ideally harmless. Your immune system mistakenly views them as threats, releasing chemicals, mainly histamine.

Histamine causes common allergy symptoms in your eyes, making them red, swollen, and itchy. You may also experience excessive tearing, as your body tries to fight the trigger through inflammation.

How Do Allergies Lead to Dry Eyes?

It might seem strange, especially since allergies often make your eyes water. However, that watering is primarily a response to irritation. Healthy tears need a balance of oil, water, and mucus, but allergy inflammation disrupts this balance.

The swelling can block tiny glands in your eyelids, which manufacture the oily part of your tears. Without enough oil, your tears evaporate too quickly. As a result, your eye surface dries out, like parched soil.

Frequent itching from allergies may make you rub your eyes. Rubbing causes more inflammation and can damage the eye surface. It can wipe away the eye’s protective tear film and lead to a cycle of irritation and dryness.

Common Symptoms Here Include:

• Experiencing a gritty or sandy feeling in your eyes that will not go away.

• Feeling as if your eyes are stinging or burning, especially later in the day.

• Experiencing blurred vision, which can improve after you blink.

• Noticing eye redness and experiencing eye fatigue.

• Experiencing too much sensitivity to light or wind.

• Experiencing watery eyes followed by periods of dryness.

Managing Both Conditions Effectively

Managing these two conditions will require you to adopt a combined approach. Focusing only on allergies might not solve the dryness, while ignoring allergies makes dry eye harder to manage. Here are some practical steps to soothe your eyes:

• Minimize exposure to irritants

• Soothe and protect your eyes

• Discuss targeted treatments

If your symptoms are severe or continue to persist, please make your way to your doctor. They can confirm whether allergies, dry eye, or both are causing your discomfort. Your doctor may also suggest you start using medicated drops or procedures for blocked glands. These will help to give you the best long-term results.

Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Managing both allergies and dry eyes can bring comfort. By protecting your eyes from triggers, you provide the first line of defense. Using the right drops can soothe irritation and add moisture, offering relief. Do not assume itchy, dry eyes are something you must endure.

Simple changes and the right treatments can make a big difference. Your eyes will feel more comfortable, and you will see more clearly. Take steps today for healthier, happier eyes tomorrow. Clear vision and comfort are worth the effort.

For more on allergies and dry eye, visit Eagle Eye Vision Center. Our office is in Stafford, Virginia. You can call (540) 720-0407 to schedule an appointment today. 

https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/eye-allergy/