Pollen, Grass, and Eye Health: Tips for Allergy Season

While spring and summer bring warmth and new growth, they also usher in a season of red, itchy, watery, and irritated eyes, known as allergic conjunctivitis. The symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis — caused by exposure to pollen — can make you miserable, but there are ways to protect your eyes and manage the symptoms.

What is Pollen? Why Does it Bother My Eyes?

Pollen is a fine, powdery substance produced by plants. This substance contains microscopic, male reproductive cells (gametophytes) essential for plant fertilization. Plants that produce pollen include:

Trees:  Including oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, cypress, walnut, and pecan.
Grasses: Including Timothy, Johnson, Bermuda, Orchard, and some bluegrasses.

Weeds: Including ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, and tumbleweed.

How Does Pollen Cause an Allergic Reaction?

In one sense, allergies are due to a mistake. When exposed to pollen, your immune system misidentifies it as a virus or bacteria. In response, your body produces Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies.

The antibodies trigger mast cells, your immune system’s first responder. These cells release histamine and other chemicals to fight the perceived infection, leading to inflammation and, thus, your allergy symptoms.

Note: This response doesn’t always trigger the eyes: It can also cause inflammation in the sinuses and airways, leading to allergic rhinitis (hay fever) or asthma.

Do Some Areas Have More Pollen Than Others?

If you’re looking for a U.S. state that has no pollen, you’re out of luck. However, states on the East and West coasts consistently appear on yearly lists of Worst Cities for Grass Allergies.

States in drier regions, like Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada, have lower pollen counts. The Pacific Northwest, with its colder, wetter climate, tends to have shorter and less intense pollen seasons.

How Can I Protect My Eyes During Allergy Season?

There are a few things you can do to avoid the onslaught of pollen:

Wear sunglasses: Wraparound glasses are best to prevent pollen from flying into your eyes. If you’re mowing or gardening, try wearing goggles.

Time outdoor activity: Pollen amounts can vary from day to day or plant to plant. (Tree pollen is often highest in the morning.) Generally, pollen counts tend to peak by midday or early afternoon. So if possible, wait until pollen counts fall before you go out.

Don’t let pollen inside:  When the pollen counts are high, keep the windows shut in your house and car. Use the air conditioner instead. (Be sure to change or clean the AC filters regularly.)

Wash up: To remove pollen residue, wash your hair, hands, and face after spending time outside. If you wear glasses, wash them off, too. Throw your clothes in the laundry, too, but don’t hang laundry outside.

Wash out indoor allergens:  Even with windows closed, you can carry pollen and other allergens into your home. The Mayo Clinic has some suggestions on how to banish them:

• Wash bedding at least once a week in water heated to at least 130 degrees.
• Damp-mop wood or linoleum flooring and vacuum carpeting.
• Use a damp cloth to clean other surfaces, including the tops of doors, windowsills, and window frames. (Wear a dust mask or get someone else to do the job.)

 For Contact Lens Wearers:  Lenses, especially soft ones, can trap pollen against the eye. Pollen, dust, and other allergens can adhere to contact lens deposits, triggering an immune response or worsening any existing irritation. If you don’t want to skip wearing contacts, switch to daily disposable lenses.

How do I Soothe Allergy Symptoms?

Once allergy symptoms hit, you want relief. Here are a few things to try:

Home remedies

First off, don’t rub your eyes. It’s tempting, but don’t. Constant eye rubbing can cause abrasions to your eyes' corneas and may worsen or accelerate keratoconus, a condition in which the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape.

For itching, put a clean, cold, damp washcloth over your closed eyes for 10-15 minutes to reduce inflammation, swelling, and itching. Chilled cucumber slices are another option.

For dry eyes, put a warm cloth over your closed eyes for 10 to 15 minutes, once or twice a day.

Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated helps your body produce tears that lubricate the eye surface, which reduces inflammation. But limit your intake of coffee, tea, and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.

OTC remedies

Artificial tears can wash irritants out of the eyes. They can lubricate your eyes if they’re dry and irritated.

Eye drops:  Antihistamine eye drops are best for alleviating that itch. Look for drops that contain Olopatadine or Ketotifen. These drops also serve as mast cell stabilizers, which prevent immune cells from releasing histamine. Ketotifen is also available in prescription form.

Decongestant drops (which may include an antihistamine) help with redness. But keep their use to 1–3 days to avoid a rebound effect of increased swelling and redness.

Tip: Refrigerate your eye drops. Chilling them produces a cool sensation that helps soothe irritation. If you have trouble with the application, the cold will let you know if the drops actually landed in your eyes.

Nasal sprays: Corticosteroid nasal sprays, such as fluticasone, triamcinolone, and budesonide, treat nasal allergies, but may offer some relief for eye allergies. (Antihistamine nasal spray is available, but is more suited to nasal allergies.)

Oral antihistamines: If your eye allergies are accompanied by sneezing or a stuffy nose, products with Cetirizine, Loratadine, or Fexofenadine can be helpful. They do take longer to work than eye drops, and they may have a drying effect. Consider using artificial tears, too.

When to Call Your Eye Doctor (or Regular Doctor)

When OTC and home remedies aren’t working, or if your symptoms become severe, it’s time to call your eye doctor or regular doctor What to watch for:

Persistent Symptoms

Symptoms that don’t resolve with home treatment within a couple of weeks may need further evaluation or prescription medication.

Severe Eye Pain, Swelling, or Unusual Discharge

Intense pain and burning, or a thick yellow or green discharge, could be a sign of a bacterial or viral infection. Another sign is if your eyes are swollen shut or you can’t fully open your eyes.

Vision Problems

Blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or difficulty seeing clearly could be signs of an infection or inflammation of the cornea.

Only One Eye is Affected

Both eyes usually show allergy symptoms. Problems that persist in only one eye may be a sign of infection.

Prepare Yourself for Allergy Season

You can’t prevent plants from spreading their pollen. But taking measures to protect your eyes and using the right treatments to soothe symptoms can make you more comfortable throughout the peak allergy season.

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