Ocular allergies occur when your eye meets an outside irritant that causes issues within the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is a very thin membrane that covers part of the front surface of the eye and inner part of the eyelids. You know when you are experiencing an eye allergy because your eye will hurt and become red. You may have teary, runny eyes, swollen eyelids, light sensitivity and even burning or soreness, as well.
Allergens begin to irritate your eye when your immune system identifies that your eye has been in contact with a simple allergen. You may not even be aware that the allergen has met your eye. Most allergens are small, tiny particles that are mostly naked to the eye. Harmless substances such as dust, pollen, mold, and pet dander. Certain makeup cosmetics can also get into the eye and can cause eye irritations. Believe it or not, some brands of eye drops, ones that contain preservatives, can also irritate your eye and cause conjunctivitis. The most common types of allergens are seasonal related. Flowering plants produce pollen and different times of the year in certain rainy places, mold spores are more present in the natural environment. Patients that have seasonal allergic rhinitis, also called hay fever, may notice that their symptoms become more pronounced when they are in the outdoors, especially during a high pollen period.
After your body’s immune system recognizes that your eye has come into contact with an allergen that it identifies as harmful, it begins to react and produce Immunoglobulin (IgE), which are antibodies. Antibodies travel to the location that the immune system believes to be a problem and they attack by releasing chemicals, which then cause an allergic reaction in your eye.
We offer help and referrals to virtual online doctor visits to address your eye allergies. They can prescribe eye drops that will treat your symptoms and if they determine that your eye allergy is caused by an infection from a bacterium, as is the case of pink eye symptoms. They will prescribe necessary medicines that will combat that infection. You should not wait to see an online doctor for days after you begin experiencing eye allergy related symptoms. Waiting could cause more complex eye problems.
SmartDocMD helps you check out common illnesses online. If you are located in any of 50 states including California, we are equipped to assist you if you are experiencing pink eye, upper respiratory infections, a cold that just won’t go away, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections such as yeast and others. Start your evaluation today and you’ll be asked to tell us a bit about your symptoms, when they began, and a little bit about your medical history. Once you’ve filled out the online patient interview, you’ll be presented with access to online doctor treatment plans and if you choose to begin an online doctor appointment with our partners, you’ll pay less. Ready to begin? Click here. Are you just looking for allergy testing? Checkout Wyndly.