How to Get Rid of Itchy Eyes
Keep an allergy journal., Minimize your exposure to pollen or other allergens., Keep your house and car clean., Remove pollen from your body., Rinse your eyes with cool water., Rinse your sinuses., Take over-the-counter allergy medication., Get...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Keep an allergy journal.
Allergies can be seasonal or year-round and can cause red, watery, itchy eyes as well as a runny nose, sneezing and coughing.Try to determine what is causing your allergies by keeping an allergy notebook.
Record what symptoms you have, how long they last, and what you did that day.
If you know what causes your allergies, you can always be prepared.
Make note if your allergies are worse after being outside, being in a dusty room, or playing with animals. -
Step 2: Minimize your exposure to pollen or other allergens.
Avoiding what causes your allergies is the best way to prevent them, and pollen is a leading cause of allergies.Try basic lifestyle practices to minimize your exposure to pollen:
Plan outdoors activities for low-pollen times, like midday.
Check the pollen count on your weather channel or online, and stay indoors when the pollen count is high.
Stay indoors on very windy days.Protect yourself if you’ll be outside by wearing sunglasses, hats, and scarves to keep pollen out of your eyes and hair.
Mow your grass short and plant low-allergen plants in your garden.
Ask your local plant nursery what’s best.
If the source of your allergies is another cause, such as cats or dust, try to minimize their presence in your life as much as possible. , You can’t always avoid pollen, dust, and other allergens, so try to keep your personal spaces as clean as possible.
Dust and vacuum your house every week, and vacuum out your car at least once a month.
Keep your car and house windows closed.If possible, get a vacuum with a small-particle or HEPA filter.
Groom your pets every day – brush them on a wooden or tiled surface so you can vacuum up any hair and dander they leave behind.
Wash your hands after touching your pets., Change your clothes at the end of the day and take a shower before going to bed – wash your hair for the best effect.Change your bedding at least once a week, and consider changing your pillow cases even more often.
Wear a face mask while cleaning or gardening., Stand over your sink or in the shower and rinse your eyes with cool water.
Either splash the water onto your eyes or let the water run over your face.
If it’s comfortable, try to open your eyes in the water to flush out any irritants.
You can also try soaking a clean cloth in cool water and using it as a compress.
Squeeze excess water out then place the wet towel over your eyes.
Place two spoons in the fridge for about an hour, then place the spoons on your eyes to help bring down the swelling and relieve itching.
Wash the spoons well before using them to eat. , Use nasal irrigation with distilled, sterile saline to flush allergens from your sinuses.
Get a squeeze bottle or a neti pot from your pharmacy or local health foods store.To irrigate your sinuses, tilt your head over your sink and pour the water or saline solution into your top nostril, and let it flush out your bottom nostril.
Use only water that’s been distilled, boiled, and cooled.
Keep your neti pot or bottle clean so you don’t introduce germs into your sinuses. , OTC antihistamines are the first choice for mild to moderate allergies.
They come as pills, nasal sprays, and eye drops.
Allegra, Zyrtec, and Claritin are common options.
Be careful if you take an antihistamine pill – it may make you sleepy.OTC decongestants like Sudafed may help improve allergy symptoms as well, but will have less of a positive effect on your itchy eyes.
Only use a decongestant nasal spray, like Afrin, for 2-3 days at a time.
Try cromolyn sodium nasal spray for allergy relief, or get a prescription for the eye drops (Crolom) to help relieve itchy eyes.
Many people get the most relief from taking a combination of medications; talk to your doctor or pharmacist about combining medicines to avoid over-medicating.
OTC eye drops can also help.
Look for Naphazoline pheniramine, which is sold under the brand names Naphcon-A and Opcon-A; Olopatadine
0.1%, which is sold as Patanol; Lodoxamide tromethamire
0.1%, which is sold as Alomide; or Ketotifen
0.025%, also know as Zaditor., If your allergies are severe or OTC treatments don’t work, visit your doctor and ask about prescription allergy medications.
There are a number of options your doctor can prescribe you, and they will help determine which is the best for you based on your symptoms and medical history.
Some options include:
Inhaled (nasal) corticosteroids like Flonase or Nasonex– these are safe long-term options with few side effects.
Montelukast (Singulair) is a prescription tablet that can help your allergies, especially if you also have asthma.
Ipratropium nasal spray (Atrovent).
Oral corticosteroids – pills like Prednisone can improve severe allergies, but can only be used for a short time due to side effects of prolonged use. , If your allergies don’t improve with medications, talk to your doctor about allergy shots.
You will get injections over 3-5 years to gradually get your body used to allergens.
This can help improve your itchy eyes and other allergy symptoms for the long-term., Though there’s limited evidence proving they work, some people find allergy relief by taking herbal remedies.
Discuss these options with your doctor, then find them at your pharmacy or local health food store.
Consider trying one of the following for natural allergy relief:
Extract of butterbur (only get products labeled “PA-free”) Spirulina Tinospora cordifolia Capsicum Honey Vitamin C Fish oil -
Step 3: Keep your house and car clean.
-
Step 4: Remove pollen from your body.
-
Step 5: Rinse your eyes with cool water.
-
Step 6: Rinse your sinuses.
-
Step 7: Take over-the-counter allergy medication.
-
Step 8: Get prescription medications.
-
Step 9: Get allergy shots.
-
Step 10: Use herbal remedies.
Detailed Guide
Allergies can be seasonal or year-round and can cause red, watery, itchy eyes as well as a runny nose, sneezing and coughing.Try to determine what is causing your allergies by keeping an allergy notebook.
Record what symptoms you have, how long they last, and what you did that day.
If you know what causes your allergies, you can always be prepared.
Make note if your allergies are worse after being outside, being in a dusty room, or playing with animals.
Avoiding what causes your allergies is the best way to prevent them, and pollen is a leading cause of allergies.Try basic lifestyle practices to minimize your exposure to pollen:
Plan outdoors activities for low-pollen times, like midday.
Check the pollen count on your weather channel or online, and stay indoors when the pollen count is high.
Stay indoors on very windy days.Protect yourself if you’ll be outside by wearing sunglasses, hats, and scarves to keep pollen out of your eyes and hair.
Mow your grass short and plant low-allergen plants in your garden.
Ask your local plant nursery what’s best.
If the source of your allergies is another cause, such as cats or dust, try to minimize their presence in your life as much as possible. , You can’t always avoid pollen, dust, and other allergens, so try to keep your personal spaces as clean as possible.
Dust and vacuum your house every week, and vacuum out your car at least once a month.
Keep your car and house windows closed.If possible, get a vacuum with a small-particle or HEPA filter.
Groom your pets every day – brush them on a wooden or tiled surface so you can vacuum up any hair and dander they leave behind.
Wash your hands after touching your pets., Change your clothes at the end of the day and take a shower before going to bed – wash your hair for the best effect.Change your bedding at least once a week, and consider changing your pillow cases even more often.
Wear a face mask while cleaning or gardening., Stand over your sink or in the shower and rinse your eyes with cool water.
Either splash the water onto your eyes or let the water run over your face.
If it’s comfortable, try to open your eyes in the water to flush out any irritants.
You can also try soaking a clean cloth in cool water and using it as a compress.
Squeeze excess water out then place the wet towel over your eyes.
Place two spoons in the fridge for about an hour, then place the spoons on your eyes to help bring down the swelling and relieve itching.
Wash the spoons well before using them to eat. , Use nasal irrigation with distilled, sterile saline to flush allergens from your sinuses.
Get a squeeze bottle or a neti pot from your pharmacy or local health foods store.To irrigate your sinuses, tilt your head over your sink and pour the water or saline solution into your top nostril, and let it flush out your bottom nostril.
Use only water that’s been distilled, boiled, and cooled.
Keep your neti pot or bottle clean so you don’t introduce germs into your sinuses. , OTC antihistamines are the first choice for mild to moderate allergies.
They come as pills, nasal sprays, and eye drops.
Allegra, Zyrtec, and Claritin are common options.
Be careful if you take an antihistamine pill – it may make you sleepy.OTC decongestants like Sudafed may help improve allergy symptoms as well, but will have less of a positive effect on your itchy eyes.
Only use a decongestant nasal spray, like Afrin, for 2-3 days at a time.
Try cromolyn sodium nasal spray for allergy relief, or get a prescription for the eye drops (Crolom) to help relieve itchy eyes.
Many people get the most relief from taking a combination of medications; talk to your doctor or pharmacist about combining medicines to avoid over-medicating.
OTC eye drops can also help.
Look for Naphazoline pheniramine, which is sold under the brand names Naphcon-A and Opcon-A; Olopatadine
0.1%, which is sold as Patanol; Lodoxamide tromethamire
0.1%, which is sold as Alomide; or Ketotifen
0.025%, also know as Zaditor., If your allergies are severe or OTC treatments don’t work, visit your doctor and ask about prescription allergy medications.
There are a number of options your doctor can prescribe you, and they will help determine which is the best for you based on your symptoms and medical history.
Some options include:
Inhaled (nasal) corticosteroids like Flonase or Nasonex– these are safe long-term options with few side effects.
Montelukast (Singulair) is a prescription tablet that can help your allergies, especially if you also have asthma.
Ipratropium nasal spray (Atrovent).
Oral corticosteroids – pills like Prednisone can improve severe allergies, but can only be used for a short time due to side effects of prolonged use. , If your allergies don’t improve with medications, talk to your doctor about allergy shots.
You will get injections over 3-5 years to gradually get your body used to allergens.
This can help improve your itchy eyes and other allergy symptoms for the long-term., Though there’s limited evidence proving they work, some people find allergy relief by taking herbal remedies.
Discuss these options with your doctor, then find them at your pharmacy or local health food store.
Consider trying one of the following for natural allergy relief:
Extract of butterbur (only get products labeled “PA-free”) Spirulina Tinospora cordifolia Capsicum Honey Vitamin C Fish oil
About the Author
David Mitchell
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: