If your eyes are often dry and itchy, allergies might be to blame. Some allergy meds can worsen dry eyes, leading to symptoms like watering, redness, and a burning sensation.

In the EU, dry eyes are familiar, affecting around 10% to 30% of people. This can be caused by things in the air that irritate your eyes, like smoke or pollen.

When it comes to allergies that impact your eyes, there are five primary types to watch out for:

●     Year-round or seasonal allergic conjunctivitis

●     Vernal keratoconjunctivitis

●     Atopic keratoconjunctivitis

●     Contact allergic conjunctivitis

●     Giant papillary conjunctivitis

This piece is about how allergies can lead to dry eyes, the symptoms and causes, and what you can do to treat and prevent this annoying condition.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eyes can be caused by many different things, from where you are to what you're doing or even your health issues.

Some common causes include:

●     Being in places that are dry or windy.

●     Exposure to smoke.

●     Having specific health problems like thyroid disease or rheumatoid arthritis.

●     Wearing contact lenses for too long.

●     Looking at a computer screen for hours without breaks.

●     Side effects from some medications like allergy pills, heartburn drugs, blood pressure medications, antidepressants, or meds for anxiety.

●     Having certain types of eye surgery.

When it comes to allergies or other irritants causing dry eyes, watch out for:

●     Pet fur or flakes of skin.

●     Pollen from trees, grass, or weeds.

●     Car exhaust.

●     Dust mites.

●     Cigarette smoke.

●     Mold.

●     Perfumes or strong scents.

When your eyes get dry because of allergies or other reasons, you might notice a few annoying symptoms:

●     Itchy eyes that make you want to rub them all the time.

●     The uncomfortable feeling like there's something stuck in your eye.

●     Redness in or around your eyes makes them look irritated.

●     Eyes that water a lot seem weird because they're dry.

●     A burning feeling that's just plain uncomfortable.

On top of that, the National Eye Institute points out you might also have blurry vision or find bright lights bothersome.

The symptoms can change depending on what kind of allergy bothers your eyes. If you have seasonal allergies, you might also have a runny nose, a scratchy throat, and eye trouble.

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis and atopic keratoconjunctivitis are more challenging kinds of eye allergies. They usually affect people with eczema or asthma.

While these two conditions share many of the same issues, atopic keratoconjunctivitis is more common in older guys with skin problems like eczema.

These allergies can bother you all year but might worsen depending on the season. The main problems you might face include:

●     The annoying feeling that there's always something in your eye.

●     Being sensitive to bright lights.

●     Itchy eyes that drive you crazy.

●     A lot of gunk or mucus is building up around your eyes.

If allergies from stuff around you, like pollen or dust, are making your eyes dry, you might notice a few things happening with your eyes:

●     A burning feeling.

●     Itchy eyes that make you want to rub them all the time.

●     Eyes that water a lot, which is weird since they're supposed to be dry.

●     Redness makes your eyes look like you're tired or upset.

Contact allergic conjunctivitis happens when something like a contact lens irritates your eye.

If you have this kind of eye allergy, you might notice:

●     Your contact lenses don't feel right and might even hurt.

●     Your eyes are getting itchy.

●     Your eyes are turning red.

●     A gooey kind of discharge is coming from your eyes.

Giant papillary conjunctivitis is like a more intense version of this allergy.

Besides the symptoms mentioned, with giant papillary conjunctivitis, you might also feel:

●     Like there's always something stuck in your eye.

●     Your vision may get blurry.

●     Your eyes could look and feel puffy.

If you have dry eyes, you can take steps at home to help improve your condition. These include changing your surroundings and using medications you can buy without a prescription or those your doctor prescribes.

Here are some tips to keep allergens at bay:

●     Try wearing glasses more often than contacts.

●     Always wash your hands after petting animals.

●     Use a dehumidifier to keep mold under control at home.

●     Stay indoors when pollen counts are high, and keep windows shut.

●     Wear sunglasses or glasses outside to prevent pollen from getting into your eyes.

●     Choose bedding that dust mites can't live in and keep your place tidy.

●     Wash your face if you've been around allergens.

Besides avoiding allergens, you can also talk to your doctor about treatments for dry eyes. Some options might include:

●     Eye drops that help with redness.

●     Eye drops that work like fake tears to keep your eyes moist.

●     Pills that help with allergies, but be careful because some can make dry eyes worse.

●     Allergy shots.

●     Special prescription eye drops.

●     Prescription allergy pills that won't make you sleepy.

If you're dealing with ongoing dry eye problems or if the usual remedies aren't helping. There could be various reasons behind the dryness, and a healthcare provider can help identify the cause and suggest appropriate treatment.

The healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms during your appointment and examine your eyes closely. According to guidelines from the European Council of Optometry and Optics, the examination may include the following:

●     Observe the outside of your eye, including the eyelids and blinking patterns.

●     Bright light and magnification were used to examine the eyelids and the cornea (the eye's front surface).

●     Measuring how much tear fluid your eye produces.

●     Assessing the quality of your tears to see if they're adequately lubricating your eyes.

If the healthcare provider suspects allergies might contribute to your dry eyes, they may recommend an allergy test to identify specific triggers.

Mobi Doctor can offer assistance if you're struggling with dry eyes and suspect allergies might be the cause. We provide online consultations where you can discuss your symptoms and receive professional advice on managing and treating your condition.