Medical Insurance and Health Care

The eyes are very sensitive and delicate organs. Anything that irritates is extremely annoying, imagine the feeling of having a foreign body in the eye, a kind of grit that is added to the scrubbing makes you itch all the time, not to mention the redness and inflammation. How to go out with such respect? Well, one in five people (in America) they have allergies affect the eyes and is known as ocular allergy or allergic conjunctivitis. Although they may cause blurred vision, the good news is that the symptoms of this condition, although very annoying, not permanently affect sight, unlike other infections in the eyes that they can damage and sometimes give the same symptoms. So if you do not find relief and improvement with OTC medications for allergies and strategies to avoid it, they should enter into consultation with the ophthalmologist (a doctor specializing in eyes) or with your family doctor.

Why do they happen?
The function of the immune system or immune (the defense) is to protect the body from harmful substances such as viruses and bacteria. It also reacts and acts to foreign substances called allergens (to which the person is allergic) reaction that usually are harmless and cause no problems in most people. But in an allergic person, the immune system is hypersensitive and reacts in extreme ways. In the case of ocular allergy (eye), the problem begins when the conjunctiva (the membrane that lines the inner eyelid and the white of the eye) contact with an allergen. In its attempt to combat what it perceives as an attack, the immune system creates antibodies that cause the eye to release histamine and other chemicals to fight the allergen. That is what causes the redness, itching and tearing, discomfort may occur independently or in combination with nasal allergy symptoms.

The two types of ocular allergy
There are two types of ocular allergy: seasonal and more common, perennial. Seasonal allergy occurs only in certain seasons that coincide with times when there are more spores and pollen in the air (spring or fall), while the perennial occurs throughout the year. Its most common causes include exposure to dust mites, feathers, dander, dead skin cells of animals, smoke, pollution and also perfumes, cosmetics and certain drugs. Generally, the allergic person can identify what caused the outbreak of allergy: a walk in the garden, carrying a pet, vacuum dust, or being exposed to some cleaning products. But if the causes are not obvious, sometimes a blood test can identify them more easily. It is very important to know what causes the allergic reaction to isolate and avoid the triggers.

Both types of allergies produce similar symptoms, only experienced at different times and are caused by various allergens. The itching is almost always a symptom that indicates that it is an eye allergy or allergic conjunctivitis, which can also be accompanied by:
Red eyes
Tearing
Blurred vision
Burning
Secretion and / or eyelids stuck
How to prevent ocular allergy?
The most important thing is that the person try to limit exposure to the allergen that stimulates the reaction. To do this:
If pollen affects you, avoid going outside when the pollen count is higher (usually mid-morning or at dusk). Keep home windows closed and use air conditioning. Fans tend to worsen the crisis by spreading pollen, spores and dust in the air. If you have to go outside, wear glasses big sun, to prevent the pollen from your eyes. If you drive a car, car windows closed.

If you affect dust mite covers on mattresses and pillows with allergy. Frequently wash bedding in hot water. And if the mattress is several years of use (10 or more), consider buying a new one. Most old mattresses are a true colony of allergens.

Keep the floor very clean, no dust. In addition to sweeping or vacuuming, you should wipe with a damp mop to collect all the dust particles. If your allergy is severe, consider removing and replacing carpets hardwood or tile. Similarly, avoid, if possible, fabric curtains tend to accumulate dust and / or moisture.
Try to keep the humidity inside the house to prevent mold. Clean kitchen and bathroom with a solution containing bleach to remove any possible mold.

If your pet is causing you allergies, avoid entering the bedroom. Do not let him sleep in your bed.
To relieve symptoms
Sometimes not enough to avoid triggers (allergens) of the allergic reaction and you have to use drugs, whether OTC or prescription.
Avoid rubbing your eyes, it irritates them even more. To relieve itching, swelling and burning, use cool compresses.

Salt water rinses and lubricating eye drops that can be bought without prescription, can help relieve irritated eyes and remove particles from the eyes.
You’ll also find at the drugstore decongestant eye drops that remove redness. Some burn a bit when applied and does not relieve all symptoms. In fact, it is possible that if you use them for a long time, have an effect of “bouncing” and further increase in redness.

Eye drops containing ketotifen or ketotifen may relieve symptoms for 12 hours. These do not cause the rebound effect, although the use for long periods.
If you refrigerate the droplets feel more relief to apply.
You can also try oral antihistamines (taken) and Claritin (loratadine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine), which will alleviate the long term and usually do not sleep.