When you have eye allergies, this means that you have been exposed to an allergy trigger. This can happen when your immune system thinks that the trigger, which is normally harmless, is an intruder that needs to be dealt with. At Foster Vision, our eye doctor in Portland offers care and treatment for allergic reactions that affect your eyes.

Symptoms of Eye Allergies

Eye allergies can cause your eyes to feel itchy and give them a reddish appearance. Your eyes might also feel as though they sting or burn, and you might have a clear discharges that leaks from them. In some cases, you might also have other symptoms from an allergic reaction, such as coughing, sneezing or nasal congestion.

Causes of Eye Allergies

You can develop eye allergies when your immune system releases antibodies to fight off the allergen. This causes histamine to be released, which results in common eye allergy symptoms.

Common Eye Allergens in Portland

Common eye allergens that are seasonal include tree pollen, grass pollen, ragweed and mold spores. These allergies usually only flare up at specific times, such as in spring and fall.

Common eye allergens that can occur throughout the year include dust, cosmetics, cigarette smoke, pet dander, pollutants in the air and reactions to certain medications. You can develop these allergies at any time, even if you have never had them before.

Eye Allergy Treatment in Portland

Our eye doctor in Portland can help you determine the exact trigger that causes allergic reactions. When you know what this is, then you can work on lowering your exposure to the allergen that affects you. If this is not possible, our optometrist can discuss other options, such as prescription eye drops, allergy shots or oral antihistamines. These medications can provide you with relief and lower your risk of having allergic reactions.

Contact Our Portland Optometrist

If you deal with eye allergies, please contact Foster Vision to set up an appointment with our Portland optometrist. We can help determine your eye allergy triggers and provide you with effective ways to treat allergies.