Baker Vision Clinic

Call Us Today

(541) 523-5858

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet the Optometrist
    • Meet The Staff
  • Eyecare Services
    • Ocular Disease
    • Ocular Trauma
    • State-of-the-Art Equipment
    • Spectacle Frame Services
    • Lens Services
    • Contact Lens
    • Pediatric Vision Care
    • Low Vision Rehab
    • Vision Therapy
  • Order Epionce Online
  • Contact Us
  • Registration
    • Online Forms
  • Frames Selection
  • Financial Services
  • Community Content
    • Common Eye Conditions
      • Age-Related
      • Cognitive and Acquired
      • Vision Impairment
      • Injury & Irritation
      • Eye Lids
      • Changes in Appearance
    • Contact Lenses
    • Eye Diseases
    • Eyeglasses
      • Eyeglass Lenses
    • Eye Symptoms
    • How the Eyes Work
      • Basic Visual Skills
    • Pediatric Vision
    • Protecting Your Eyes
    • Visual Rehabilitation
    • Vision Problems
    • What is Vision Therapy
    • Vision Therapy Programs
    • We Can Help With
      • Cataracts
      • Corneal Disorders
        • Disorders
      • Glaucoma
      • Refractive Disorders
      • Adult Strabismus
      • Retinal Disorders
    • Newsletters
      • Glasses & Frames
      • Contacts
      • Tips for Healthy Eyes
      • Conditions That Affect Vision
      • Kid's Vision
      • Amazing, Interesting Eyes
      • Medical Perspectives
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletters >
  • Summertime Allergies and Your Eyes

Summertime Allergies and Your Eyes

  • Created in Newsletters

Summertime field

Summertime Allergies and Your Eyes

Allergies may be to blame if your eyes feel itchy and uncomfortable during the summer months. Fortunately, you don't always have to stay indoors to keep your summer allergies under control. Your optometrist can recommend eye drops and other treatment options that will soothe your symptoms.

What Causes Summer Eye Allergies?

A simple misunderstanding is responsible for allergies. When a speck of pollen or mold enters your body through your eyes, mouth or nose, your immune system mistakenly decides that these harmless substances are a threat to your health. The body immediately begins producing histamines, chemicals that seek out and destroy allergens. Unfortunately, histamines also cause the symptoms you associate with allergies, including:

  • Itchy, Red, Watery Eyes
  • Sneezing
  • Stuffy Nose
  • Runny Nose
  • Swollen Eyelids
  • Dark Circles Under the Eyes

Common allergens include mold, animal dander, dust, and pollen from trees, grass, and weeds. During the early to mid-summer, mold and grass and pollens are usually responsible for eye allergy symptoms. In late summer, ragweed, mugwort, thistle, and other weed pollens can trigger symptoms. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, mold thrives when the days are hot and humid, while ragweed and grass pollens become a problem during warm days/cool nights.

How to Manage Your Summer Eye Allergies

These tips can you reduce your allergy symptoms this summer:

  • Check the Forecast. Weather websites often include information about allergen levels in your area. If mold or pollens are high, spend as much time as possible indoors. Pollen counts tend to be higher on dry, windy days.
  • Use Your Air-Conditioner or Air Purifier. Fans blow allergens throughout your house. When allergen levels are high, it's best to close the windows and keep your home cool and comfortable with an air-conditioner. Both air-conditioners and air purifiers filter out allergens from the air.
  • Wash, Clean, and Mop. Allergens enter your home through open doors and windows and hitch a ride on your clothing and shoes. Get rid of allergens by mopping floors, dusting furniture, and vacuuming carpeting, rugs and upholstered furniture often. Change your sheets every few days. Putting hypoallergenic covers on your pillows, mattress, comforter and box springs will keep dust and mold spores from triggering allergy symptoms. Does your dog or cat spend time outdoors? Before you bring your furry friend inside, run a moist washcloth over your pet's fur to remove allergens
  • Buy a Dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers remove humidity from the air and reduce the amount of mold in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and other moist places. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends maintaining a 30% to 50% humidity level for your dehumidifier.
  • Put on a Pair of Shades. Wear wraparound sunglasses to prevent allergens from entering your eyes. Eyeglasses and sunglasses are helpful too, although they don't provide quite as much protection as wraparound sunglasses.

Ask Your Eye Doctor About Eye Allergy Treatments

If making a few changes at home doesn't relieve your eye allergy symptoms, it's a good idea to pay a visit to your optometrist. He or she may recommend:

  • Saline Eye Drops or Artificial Tears. Using these drops throughout the day washes away allergens before they can irritate your eyes.
  • Over-the-Counter Eye Drops. These eye drops soothe itchiness and relieve redness. Check the label before purchasing the drops, as some types of eye drops should only be used for a few days, while others can be used longer.
  • Oral Allergy Medication. Oral antihistamines and decongestants can also be helpful in treating summer allergies. Dry eye can be a side effect of oral antihistamines, according to a Review of Optometry article.
  • Corticosteroid Eye Drops. If other medications don't help your symptoms, your eye doctor may prescribe corticosteroid eye drops to reduce inflammation.
  • Allergy Shots. Allergy shots may be an option if you're still suffering from eye allergies. The shots contain tiny amounts of allergens and make your body less sensitive to the effects of the allergens.

Are you suffering from summer eye allergy symptoms? Get in touch with our office to make an appointment with our optometrist.

Sources:

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Seasonal Allergies, 12/28/2017

Review of Optometry: When to Prescribe an OTC Allergy Drop, 8/17/2020

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Eye Allergy

American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Are Eye Allergies, 1/11/2022

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: Eye Allergies (Allergic Conjunctivitis), 10/2015

  • Common Eye Conditions
    • Age-Related
    • Cognitive and Acquired
    • Vision Impairment
    • Injury & Irritation
    • Eye Lids
    • Changes in Appearance
  • Contact Lenses
  • Eye Diseases
  • Eyeglasses
    • Eyeglass Lenses
  • Eye Symptoms
  • How the Eyes Work
    • Basic Visual Skills
  • Pediatric Vision
  • Protecting Your Eyes
  • Visual Rehabilitation
  • Vision Problems
  • What is Vision Therapy
  • Vision Therapy Programs
  • We Can Help With
    • Cataracts
    • Corneal Disorders
      • Disorders
    • Glaucoma
    • Refractive Disorders
    • Adult Strabismus
    • Retinal Disorders
  • Newsletters
    • Glasses & Frames
    • Contacts
    • Tips for Healthy Eyes
    • Conditions That Affect Vision
    • Kid's Vision
    • Amazing, Interesting Eyes
    • Medical Perspectives

Registration Forms

Sign up here to learn more about us and our services.

Featured Links

Click to find out more

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients/ learn more about all the services we provide.
    Learn More
  • Make An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!
    Schedule Now
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.
    View Forms

Hours of Operation

*Monday-Thursday, we are closed from 12pm -1pm

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Locations

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Reviews From Our Satisfied Patients

  • "Great staff and awesome doctors! I would recommend sending your children here. Also the place to go for adults. If you want your eye care needs met correctly, check out Baker Vision Clinic. There's nowhere else to go!"
    Meaghan C. - Baker City, OR

Featured Articles

Read up on informative topics

  • October Newsletter: The Advantages of Prescription Sunglasses

    Could prescription sunglasses help you see better on bright day? ...

    Read More
  • October Newsletter: What Are Ocular Migraines and How Can They Be Prevented?

    Seeing stars or flashing lights? An ocular migraine could be to blame. ...

    Read More
  • Stress and Vision

    Did you know that your eyes are an extension of your brain? There are six muscles connected to each eye, and they receive signals from the brain. These signals direct the eyes movements and, thus, control their ability to focus. When you are stressed, your brain goes through a number of changes and signals ...

    Read More
  • Pain Management

    We take a lot of aspects of our vision for granted. We expect to see nearby and faraway objects clearly, even if we require our eye care provider to prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to do so. A huge degree of the information we take in about our world and our surroundings takes place visually, ...

    Read More
  • Nutrition for Eye Health

    Eating right is essential for keeping your body healthy. This is as true for your eyes as it is for your heart. A diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and is low in saturated fat, can reduce your risk of heart disease. This will also keep your arteries healthy, so they can ...

    Read More
  • Lifestyle Practices for Eye Health

    Protecting your eyesight is an important part of staying healthy overall. Maintaining sound eye health will also help you preserve your quality of life as you age. To keep your eyes as healthy as possible, follow these simple lifestyle practices. Get regular eye exams. Some eye problems — including ...

    Read More
  • Glare and Halos

    Glare and halos are both eye symptoms that some people experience around bright lights. Halos show up as bright circles around a light source. Glare is light that interferes with your vision, making it difficult to see or sometimes making your eyes water. These symptoms can show up at any time of the ...

    Read More
  • UV Radiation and Your Eyes

    Optometry warnings about the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation on our eyes have not yet reached the degree of public awareness of that of skin damage. Yet, the sun can be just as damaging upon our eyes with unprotected exposure. Short-term exposure to very bright sunlight can result in a type ...

    Read More
  • Lazy Eye

    Lazy eye, also referred to as amblyopia, is a condition that develops in infancy or early childhood, and it typically starts when the focus in one eye is more enhanced than the other. The eye with less focus might be impaired due to a significant amount of farsightedness or astigmatism, or something ...

    Read More
  • Pediatric Ophthalmology

    Ophthalmology addresses the physiology, anatomy and diseases of the eyes. Pediatric ophthalmology focuses on the eyes of children. Pediatric ophthalmologists examine children’s eyes to see if they need corrective lenses or other treatments to improve their vision. Training for Pediatric Ophthalmologists Pediatric ...

    Read More

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for more articles

Social Media

  • Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map