Contacts Exacerbate Seasonal Eye Allergies


A number of leading global eye care organisations have warned that wearing contact lenses can worsen seasonal eye allergies. The organisations have advised that wearing contact lenses and using antihistamines can exacerbate allergic conjunctivitis. Global organisations including the American Optometric Association have issued a number of tips in the hope that their timely spring time warning will lessen the negative impact of seasonal allergies.

Eye experts warn that the eyes can become especially irritated over the spring season due to increased levels of pollen and other common causes including mould, dust mites, pet dander and more. Contact lens wearers are particularly susceptible to severe seasonal allergic conjunctivitis as they wear contact lenses for a prolonged period of time and may replace their lenses infrequently.

Eye experts have now issued a number of helpful hints and tips designed to minimise the effects of seasonal eye allergies. These tips include avoiding wearing contact lenses or wearing contacts for a shorter period of time than usual. Experts also recommend using daily disposable lenses, washing bed linen and washing hands often. They also suggest that contact lens wearers should avoid touching their eyes and should avoid using antihistamines. They warn that antihistamines actually worsen allergic conjunctivitis by reducing the level of tears produced by the body that act to carry eye-irritating pollen and dander away from the eyes.

Eye care experts have also advised that women should try to avoid using eye make up in addition to not wearing contact lenses. However, it is unlikely that many women will follow advice and opt to swap their lenses for glasses as a recent study has shown that many British women choose not to wear glasses or go for eye-tests as they are too vain to wear the vision correcting aids.

6th April 2010

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