BE AWARE OF EYE ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN

1. Vacuum more and clean more to reduce dust mites.

2. If you have cats and dogs in your home, you should clean their dander more often and reduce contact with their hair.

3. Use dehumidifiers and air cleaners if needed.

The medical name for eye allergies is "allergic conjunctivitis", a condition in which environmental allergens irritate and redden the eyes causing them to produce excess tears and become extra-sensitive to light. Many of those afflicted frequently blink and rub or scratch their eyes in an attempt to ease the discomfort. Although rare, patients with more serious cases of allergic conjunctivitis can even go on to suffer corneal damage and possible visual impairment.

Allergic conjunctivitis broadly has two types: seasonal and perennial. Seasonal cases most commonly affect sufferers of hay fever and are generally due to allergic reactions to pollen or spores. The allergy’s perennial variant generally occurs as a result of exposure to allergens like house dust mite, dust and animal hair. In addition to the symptoms described, patients may also experience serious long-term discomfort because of year-round complaints such as sneezing, nasal congestion or runny noses.

If your child suffers from other medical problems such as nasal allergies, eczema or asthma after being exposed to everyday allergens such as dust, he/she will be more prone to eye allergies. Poor eyelid hygiene is another common cause of such problems in children and teenagers.

The simplest first step to alleviating your child’s distress is to identify potential allergen sources such as dust mites on bedding, cuddly toys or even hair from family pets such as cats or dogs, etc. Regularly cleaning your home and keeping windows open to promote the ventilation are effective ways of alleviating the problems. If your family lives in an especially polluted area, you should also consider using a household air purifier.

If your child’s eye allergy is severe, you should seek professional medical advice. Other factors taken into account for diagnosing the condition will include any family history of allergies, personal history of allergies, the living environment and daily routines. Specific types of allergic conjunctivitis require different approaches of treatment depending on each patient’s condition and clinical responses. Treatments can last anything from a few months to several years.

When treating eye allergies, it is equally important to address both the symptoms and root causes. Root causes are usually dealt with by advising patients to minimize their contact with common allergens such as pollen and dust. Symptoms can then be relieved via the use of drugs to control reactions. Should serious complications arise, limited surgical treatment may be recommended.

In simple cases, artificial tears or ice compresses may be applied to dilute or wash away allergens, reduce allergic reactions and soothe the discomfort.