10 symptoms tell you that you have allergic conjunctivitis

There seasonal allergic conjunctivitis it is a very common disorder that affects, according to expert estimates, almost one in 5 people and which affects 83% of patients with allergic diseases.

The reaction is mainly triggered by the pollen but among the possible contributing causes there are often also dust mites, animal hair and mold spores: all factors that can cause annoying symptoms, such as tearing, redness and even swelling of the eyelids.

What to do then? An answer comes from Alcon that with the support of FederAsma e Allergie ODV and the scientific advice of Professor Andrea Leonardi, Department of Neuroscience of the Ophthalmology Clinic of the University of Padua, has drawn up a practical vademecum to recognize signs that should lead one to suspect the presence of allergic conjunctivitis and which should lead to a specialist.

Avoid DIY

Despite being so widespread, in fact, there are few patients with seasonal eye allergy who decide to go to the ophthalmologist for a check-up. “The tendency, on the other hand, is to face the emergency alone, or on the advice of a relative or friend, using decongestant eye drops – he observes Alessandra Peres, Vice President of FederAsma and Allergie ODV (federasmallergie.it) – And even those who go to the pharmacy often do not ask for advice but limit themselves to the purchase of a certain product: if consulted, the pharmacist can instead be a first and qualified interlocutor to frame the situation and suspect that it is a conjunctivitis allergic, thus suggesting an adequate remedy to manage the emergency and then inviting you to be seen by the specialist to identify the triggering factors “.

The risks of wrong treatment

In most cases, therefore, itching and redness of the eyes are very often faced with the use of decongestant eye drops which, however, not only do not solve the problem, but can even, according to experts, pose a risk when used inappropriately.

“Soothing eye drops decongest the eyes by exerting vasoconstriction, but if used improperly they end up inducing an increasing redness, because as a reaction the blood vessels tend to dilate more and more over time – specifies the professor Andrea Leonardi – A vicious circle is thus generated which triggers a addiction mechanism and it can also have other unwanted side effects such as dilation of the pupil or the closure of the tear dot or of another annoying disorder such asdry eye. In addition, especially if the dosages are overdone, tachycardia or other heart disorders may even occur ».

The first rule is therefore to always ask for a preliminary opinion from pharmacist so as to be able to identify a “targeted” eye drops.

The importance of contacting a specialist

Furthermore, to verify that it is actually aseasonal eye allergy and finding out what it is due to is essential seek the advice of an allergistwho can recommend skin tests, the so-called prick testas well as specific blood tests.

Asking the help of the specialist is in fact essential in order not to jeopardize the health of the eyes as well as the entire body.

“After an initial evaluation, in collaboration with the allergist, we proceed to the IgE dosage, which with a simple blood sample allows us to evaluate a large number of potential allergens through the concentration of immunoglobulins E, and possibly to carry out a prick test, with which instead suspicious substances are tested on the skin of the forearm – explains the Professor Andrea Leonardi – Having identified the triggering factors and framing the seriousness of the allergic form, one can then decide whether it is necessary to set a preventive therapy or whether it is sufficient to manage the situation with the use of a antihistamine eye drops very often based on Ketotifen, whose efficacy and rapidity of action has been certified by several clinical studies. Definitely recommended are the formulations without preservativespotentially harmful to the tear film, and packaged in single doses, because any risk of overdose is thus avoided “.

Knowing the triggers of seasonal eye allergy is useful, however, not just to set one up targeted therapybut also to take a whole range of preventive behaviors that can make a difference, such as reducing the hours spent outdoors, keeping the windows closed and wearing protective masks when traveling, especially in the most risky periods, i.e. when there is a greater concentration in the air of the offending pollen.

But what are the signals that can lead us to think that we suffer from seasonal allergic conjunctivitis? In the gallery below, here are 10 to watch out for.