Other than a few rain showers, the weather has been amazing recently. It makes putting up with all of those allergy symptoms a little easier. We’re talking about the sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes.
Have you ever wondered what is going on in your body that causes your eyes to become so irritated? Sean set out to find the science behind the symptoms and ways to combat annoying side-effects.
Dr. Catherine Smoot with Chesapeake Eye Center tells we’re in the thick of a bad spring season. Dr. Smoot tells us about ways to fight the symptoms.
“Simple things are wearing protective eyewear will provide a physical barrier somewhat. Use a cool compresses if you got a lot of lid swelling. There’s all kinds of pharmaceutical products out there – some are over-the-counter, some are not,” Dr. Smoot says. “Some of them work by antihistamines, meaning once those little soldiers are released, trying to get rid of the little soldiers and block them. Some of them are called mass cell stabilizers, so they try to get on the cell before they released the little soldiers and make them real stable so they don’t let them go. And some are combination products.”
For the most part, Dr. Smoot says allergies are just an annoyance that can prevent you from enjoying all Delmarva has to offer.
“We live on the Eastern shore,” Dr. Smoot says. “I’m native. I can tell you if you live on the shore, you’re gonna have allergies, asthma or sinuses, so you’re gonna have symptoms of something so just go out and enjoy it. Try wearing protective eyewear, try the artificial tears, maybe you need your Claritin or Allegra – whatever your antihistamine is – and if you find you’re not controlling your symptoms on a regular basis, consult with your eye care professional.”
