Allergic conjunctivitis

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Allergy symptoms

Conjunctivitis

Eye

Conjunctivitis - allergic

The best treatment is avoiding exposure to the cause or allergen; unfortunately, this is not often practical. Discomfort can be relieved by applying cool compresses to the eyes or taking antihistamines by mouth (many of these are available over-the-counter).

For episodes that do not respond to the treatments above, treatment by the health care provider may be necessary. This may include:

• Giving ophthalmic (eye) antihistamine or anti-inflammatory drops
• Giving mild ophthalmic steroid preparations, directly on the surface of the eye, for severe reactions
• Giving eye drops of medicine that stop mast cells (special white blood cells) from releasing histamine; these drops are given in combination with antihistamines for moderate to severe reactions

Treatment usually relieves the symptoms. However, the condition tends to recur if exposure to the offending agent continues.

There are no serious complications; persistent discomfort is common.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you experience allergic conjunctivitis and it is unresponsive to over-the-counter treatment.

Review Date: 09/01/2006
Reviewed By: Manju Subramanian, MD, Assistant Professor in Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Disease and Surgery, Boston University Eye Associates, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.