The link between allergies and eye problems.
Eye Problems – Allergies
When a person has an allergic reaction, the eyes frequently become affected. Eyes turn red, become itchy and irritated, and they can also become watery. Rubbing the eyes seems to offer comfort, but the reality is that rubbing eyes that are responding to an allergic reaction often compounds the discomfort.
What are Eye Allergies?
Most often, eye allergies accompany nasal allergies, but they can occur without involving the nose. Eye allergies are triggered when an allergen makes contact with the eyes. The mast cells, which are cells inside the eyes, release histamines and other chemicals and their release triggers symptoms including irritation and inflammation.
Conjunctivitis allergies are a specific category of allergies that affect the eyes. Conjunctivitis is generally triggered by an outdoor seasonal allergen such as ragweed or grass. Conjunctivitis allergies are also known as Hay Fever conjunctivitis.
Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis is seasonal in nature and primarily impacts children. With this form of eye allergy, the edges around the outside of the cornea are affected. Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis is similar with the difference being that it affects adults. It is a chronic condition and it’s one that can cause the eyes to become scarred if not treated.
Symptoms of Allergies
When exposure to an allergen occurs, the body reacts by releasing histamines. Histamine release causes fluids to build up in the nasal cavity, sinuses and also on the surface of the eye as well as the insides of the eyelids. This release is also a source of significant irritation. In addition to irritation, the eyes may become red and watery, and the eyes and eyelids can become swollen. In addition to the visible symptoms, eye allergies may cause a feeling that something is stuck inside the eye or a feeling that the eye is being scratched. Vision can also become blurry or hazy or otherwise unclear.
Who is at risk?
Any person regardless of age can develop eye allergies.
Early detection/treatment of this eye problem
The most effective treatment for allergies is to stay away from those items that trigger allergic reactions. Many everyday cosmetics including mascara, eye liners and eye brow pencils and face creams can all trigger an allergic reaction. In some individuals, eye allergies can be caused by wearing contact lenses. Dust mites, mold and pet dander can also cause eye allergies.
When allergies are suspected, detection is the key to effective treatment. It’s important to note what a person had been exposed to immediately before the allergic reaction occurred. Over time, patterns will become apparent. Once the culprit has been identified, steps should be taken to restrict exposure to the allergen.
Changing the brand of cosmetics and other personal care products can help as can discussing the possibility of obtaining a different contact lens prescription with your eye care professional.
In addition to these changes, over-the-counter antihistamines, decongestants and eye drops can all help alleviate the symptoms of eye allergies. If allergies are troublesome and/or persistent, it may be time to see an allergist who can recommend prescription medications and eye drops to treat the symptoms of eye allergies.
Contact lenses and children
Contacts lenses and children
There’s no age restriction on contact lenses for kids. In fact, even very young children can wear them and many do for a variety of reasons. How can one decide whether contact lenses for kids make sense? Like any decision, it’s important to consider the benefits against the disadvantages.
Contact lenses for kids make sense for the same reasons they do for adults. They help enhance appearance, they are comfortable to wear and they are a good choice for improving vision. Add to these reasons the facts that fitting a child isn’t an issue and that children have all the same options as adults including daily wear, extended wear, continuous wear and disposable and it’s difficult to argue against contact lenses for kids.
Kids who participate in sports find that wearing contact lenses is much easier than dealing with the hassle involved in wearing eyeglasses. Eyeglasses and sports aren’t always a good match. They break more frequently and replacing children’s eyeglasses isn’t cheap!
Kids can be cruel, and children who wear eyeglasses find that they’re frequently subjected to unnecessary taunting and name-calling. Such behavior can seriously impact a child’s self-esteem and confidence, especially when they’re young and don’t know how to disregard the words being said.
Studies have shown that contact lenses for kids, in particular rigid gas permeable styles, have the added benefit of helping to keep nearsightedness from progressing.
There is something else to consider before making a final decision, however. Although a child’s age isn’t necessarily a consideration, a parent may wish to consider a child’s maturity level. With the decision to wear contact lenses comes an understanding that the wearer has certain responsibilities that must be upheld. Since no two children mature at the same pace, a parent really is the only person who can make this determination.
It helps to think about the ways in which the child does or does not currently show responsibility. For example, how is the child at caring for pets, or at finishing chores or at completing school assignments?
If a child isn’t yet mature enough to handle the responsibility, the parent then has to determine whether he or she is willing to take responsibility for cleaning, maintenance, insertion and removal of the contact lenses and also for scheduling eye examinations and follow-up visits as necessary.
If a child is mature and is motivated, that child likely will be a good candidate. And since most children take instruction well, especially when someone other than a parent gives it, they generally are very good at wearing and caring for contact lenses as they’ve been instructed by the eye doctor.
Contact lenses for kids do present the same risks as adults have including a higher incidence of eye infection, dryness or abrasion. Some children, even though they may be very motivated, are not good candidates for wearing contact lenses either.
As always when in doubt, talk the decision over with someone who has experience prescribing contact lenses for kids.
How conjunctivitis affects your eyes.
Eye Care – Conjunctivitis
What is Conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is an eye problem in which the conjunctiva, which is the mucous membrane that covers the eyelid and the white part of both eyes, becomes inflamed. There are two main types of Conjunctivitis, or pink eye as it is more commonly referred to. The first results from a bacterial or viral infection and the other results from an allergic reaction.
The infective form of Conjunctivitis, if it’s caused by bacteria, is highly contagious with the hands being the primary vehicle for transmission. Conjunctivitis that results from an allergic reaction is typically a seasonal condition as are most allergies.
Conjunctivitis can also result when a person is sensitive to certain facial products and cosmetics. This latter form is sometimes referred to as irritant Conjunctivitis. Allergic and irritant Conjunctivitis are not contagious.
Symptoms of Conjunctivitis
The symptoms of the infective form of Conjunctivitis include discharge that is watery or sticky, eyes that water and feel gritty, and eyes that feel as if they have been glued together upon waking. Mild soreness is sometimes a symptom. The part of the eye that is normally white will also become red or pink, which is why Conjunctivitis has earned the nickname ‘pink eye’. Because Conjunctivitis often develops along with a common cold, a person may also have symptoms of a cold including runny nose, mild fever and a sore throat.
With the allergic form of Conjunctivitis, eyes are itchy and the eyelids may appear puffy. There may also be a discharge from the eyes that appears white or watery or ropy.
Who is at risk?
Anyone is at risk of getting Conjunctivitis. Because it can be contagious, a person with Conjunctivitis needs to take measures not to spread it. It’s difficult because it is normal to rub the infected eye as a way of providing temporary relief. However, if hands are not washed afterwards and the cause is bacterial, the bacteria can be transferred to another individual by coming into contact with the infected hands.
People who have a history of allergies, particularly hay fever, are at increased risk of developing the allergic form of conjunctivitis.
Early detection/treatment
Infective Conjunctivitis with its notable pink eye often will accompany a common cold making this eye problem rather easy to identify. Likewise a person with known allergies knows whether or not he has allergic Conjunctivitis.
Treatment for infective Conjunctivitis that is caused by bacteria includes the application of antibiotic ointment or antibiotic drops. If it is caused by a virus, typically the condition is left to heal on its own, much like a cold. Generally however, it is difficult to determine whether infective Conjunctivitis has resulted from bacteria or a virus so oftentimes, no treatment is prescribed.
In either case it is important to wash hands after coming into contact with the infected eyes using warm water and soap. Those with infective Conjunctivitis should not share their towels or pillows with others. Also when Conjunctivitis is present, contact lenses should not be worn until it has cleared.
Colored Contact Lenses
Colored Contact Lenses
Changing your eye color to match your mood or your outfit with colored contact lenses has never been easier! They are a great fashion accessory and even if you don’t need them for vision corr, that doesn’t matter. You can still get colored contact lenses in an assortment of vibrant colors.
Right now it’s estimated that only a small percentage of contact lens wearers realize they’re good candidates for colored contact lenses. Most don’t realize that there’s been an explosion of availability and that now almost every contact lens prescription is available in practically every standard color option. And even when people do realize this, many are hesitant to give colored contact lenses a try. But don’t worry. The color change can be subtle or it can be dramatic and that’s part of the fun of wearing them.
Even though you may not need them to correct your vision, if you want colored contact lenses you will have to visit an eye doctor to obtain a prescription. A prescription for contacts that doesn’t include vision correction is called a plano prescription. This type of prescription measures the width and the curvature of the eye and will insure that the contact lenses fit properly. If they don’t fit right you’ll know in a moment because the pain will be persistent and irritating.
Unfortunately, there’s a belief among wearers of colored contact lenses that because a pair lacks vision correction it’s okay to share the contact lenses with others. This is wrong! Under no circumstances is it ever a good idea to share contact lenses so don’t. Not only might they be the wrong size and cause discomfort, if they haven’t been cleaned, the other person likely will introduce harmful bacteria into the eyes which can cause irritation and other eye problems.
Within the world of colored contact lenses you’ll find many options and it’s important to understand what these options are. For example, opaque colored lenses are absolutely necessary when a person wants to completely change eye color. Colored lenses are actually tinted, and besides changing color you’ll find other types of tints, some of which aren’t necessarily designed to change eye color.
One of the benefits of a visibility tint is that the tint makes the lenses easier to handle by making them easier to see. Clear contacts can end up anywhere when they’re dropped and they’ll be invisible and nearly impossible to find. But the colored tint on the lens will help pinpoint their location. Enhancement tints have a deeper tint that will enhance and intensify a person’s eye color.
Lenses that are coated with UV/UB protection tints are preferred among those who participate in outdoor sports. The tints help to reduce glare which improves vision and hopefully the game. And speaking of sun protection, there is a brand of colored contact lenses that darken to a color that resembles that of sunglass lenses when exposed to light. Once inside, the color transitions back into clear.
