Eye allergy relief

Whether you have a seasonal eye allergy or perennial eye allergy, you may be seeking a medicine to help with symptoms such as: redness, tearing, itching, burning, or mucous production. There are over the counter and prescription eye drops available.

Over the counter eye drops are sold in the form of tear substitutes which can wash allergens out of the eyes, decongestants (vasoconstrictors) reduce redness, and antihistamines help to reduce itching.

Prescription eye drops are available as:

• Antihistamines – minimize the itching, redness, and swelling

• NSAIDS – Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drops with mast cell stabilizer effect

• Corticosteroids - Drops that treat chronic symptoms like itching and swelling

• Mast cell stabilizers – Drops that prevent the release of histamine

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is an allergy treatment that is individually prescribed and administered by a physician or allergist. It typically involves injecting patients with small amounts of allergens, proteins and glycoproteins, over an extended period of time. The allergen dosage is gradually increased until a patient has a high enough tolerance level that he or she no longer exhibits a reaction to the specific allergen. The extracts that doctors use to inject patients with are referred to as “allergen vaccines,” a term proposed by the World Health Organization in 1998.