RAWALPINDI:
Leading ophthalmologist Dr Tayyab Afghani has said that pollen allergy effects could be avoided through preventive measures.
Talking to the media, he said the springtime brings an extremely high pollen count, which can cause burning and redness in the eyes, adding eye allergies can cause watery and puffy eyes, but the same therapies and self-care practices that relieve the symptoms of slurred allergies also work for eye allergies.
In addition to sneezing and a stuffy runny nose, the symptoms can include red eyes, irritation, itching, tearing or runny eyes, swollen eyelids, soreness, burning, or pain, he added.
Dr Afghani said optical allergies result from the body overreacting to an allergen like any other allergy. “The immune system produces antibodies that release histamine and other chemicals from the eyes, causing red, watery eyes and irritation,” he added.
Typically, seasonal allergies occur in early spring during the summer, he said and added that allergens in the atmosphere such as spores from mild and pollen from grasses, trees, and weeds, were known as triggers.
He claimed that aside from causing momentary blurriness, ocular allergies, commonly known as allergic conjunctivitis or eye allergies do not significantly endanger vision.
In many cases, symptoms appear as soon as the allergen comes into contact with the eyes. Dr Afghani said the first step was to avoid triggers by staying inside during high pollen count periods which were often mid-morning and early evening.
To protect their eyes from pollen people should drive with closed windows and wear sunglasses or eyeglasses, he suggested.
He advised the eye patients to use eye drops provisionally to treat severe chronic ocular allergies while prolonged use of these drops can lead to negative effects.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2024.
Source link: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2461437/call-for-preventive-steps-to-avoid-eye-allergies