Question:
I live in Massachusetts and around April 1-7, even before anything starts
blooming around here, I get severe allergy symptoms in my eyes- they become
itchy beyond belief- it's pure torture. I'm sure these pollens are blowing
in with the southwest winds from warmer parts of the country where spring is
in effect- when it rains or there is an east or north wind my symptoms
temporarily subside. I'm trying to sort out exactly which pollens are
causing this. Based on internet pollen reports, my best guess is
cedar/juniper. Does anyone have a similar allergy the first week or two of
April? Any good treatments? I've found that a combination of Patanol
eyedrops, Claritin, and occasional washing of the eyes with cold water
helps. Sometimes I have to put vaseline around my eyes because I've rubbed
them so much that the skin around them becomes red and sore. It's no fun.
I've taken allergy shots, but they didn't help. Anybody out there have
similar problems and/or have any good remedies?
Answer:
You have my sympathy. I used to get bad eyes like that, I just *had* to rub
them and this made them worse: some days the whites of my eyes would be as
red as raw meat. My allergy was basically an allergy to summer. Not a
reaction to pollen, fortunately, just to dust, dry air, and strong sunshine.
Eye washes, even of just warm water, made things worse. After years of experimentation I settled on eyebright capsules (taken by
mouth, eyebright is a herb), Vit C and Vit B complex tablets, and eye drops
containing phenylepherine (phenyl epherine), this is just a vasoconstrictor
compound. Today I no longer need the herb, and just need a few of those drops
in the eyes throughout the day (but I use none if I'm staying at home all day).
Stress at work (dealing with contrary people) also makes my eyes red and sore.
I absolutely must wear sunglasses (tinted, polarised lenses) if outside,
whether walking or driving. I live in a sunny tropical region.
It seems that I have eventually grown out of the worst of my allergy. I
hope with time your symptoms cease to flare seasonally, also. Allergies
can be so debilitating and depressing.
I am a long time allergy sufferer (since I was about 12 and I'm
mid-30's now) and most of the nastier symptoms I have encountered
involve my eyes. At first, my eyes will be uncomfortable, itch a
little, then burn. They finally literally swell in the sockets. Once
I'm in the throes of an accute allergy attack I cannot form tears to
remove the histamine because the eye mucous becomes so sticky and
often literally "glues" my eyeballs in place (my appologies to
squeemish folk). My eyes simply swell themselves shut in a defense to
keep me out of them. I lay down with a cold towel over my eyes for
hours on end waiting for the attack to cease. There is no rhyme or
reason, just that it happan most often from the period ~April 25 - May
15th or so. Just happans to be the time the oak pollen comes out
fully!
I'm betting on some kind of oak pollen. Even after years of testing
for specific oak pollens in an attempt to issolate the culprit,
nothing has been identified and all I know is that there is something
out there that is very specific, something that is oak that sets me
off. For now it will remain a mystery.
I have controlled it mostly with oral antihistamines through the
years. The only thing oral I ever found to work was Atrohist, a
medication available up until about 1995 or so. It contained PPA,
which is, of course, now FDA banned. By the time that happaned the
market was flooded with new non-drowsy formulations and there was
little need for the old style sedating drugs. But even Zyrtec only
works some of the time and in fact as I write this I feel an attack
coming on...
Shots work. Sort of. Eventually. Seems that I get but so far along and
I have a drastic reaction and I must step back. My testing resultd in
being allergic to so many allergans that I took 3 shots twice a week
for several years with limited sucess. It did relieve many things but
the eye thing never completely ceased. I have just learned to deal
with it. Planned vacations for late April/May and camped out in my
Mom's house with a great air filter. I don't worry so much about
reactions, it's part of the deal when you are being injected with
stuff you are highy allergic too. I have taken shots for a couple
years but when I am forced to stop from time to time due to a new job,
changes in my residence, etc. it's always those pesky eye symptoms
that seem to worsen first!
Just don't give up. Eye symptoms are by far the most frustrating thing
ever and even if there is never a cure, eventually you will stumble on
whatever it is that will help you control them best.
