Eye drops for allergies

There are many types of eye drops. Those which are made of saline are similar to salinity levels of your eyes. These work to remove friction inside your eye; such eye drops can serve as lab-made tears. They ease irritation as well as itchiness in your eyes. Often, eye drops are made of many chemicals – based on ocular conditions, doctors prescribe drops having antihistamines, steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in them. Can you use eye drops for allergies? It is a vital thing to have additional inputs.

A few forms of eye drops may not have chemicals in them. Such eye drops are used mainly for making artificial tears. It is a common thing to observe active ingredients like solutes of a lesser concentration to trigger osmotic reactions, gels of a high viscous nature, ions of bicarbonates, etc. Each of these ingredients functions in a unique way; your eye doctor (read: ophthalmologist) may use multiple options to understand what works well for your eye-based conditions.

On the other hand, antibiotic-based or steroidal eye drops are widely used for treating infection inside your eyes. Such drops are endowed with prophylactic capabilities; these can help arrest likely infections. These are mostly used soon after a surgery in your eye(s). Conditions like conjunctivitis are treated with eye drops having antibiotic properties. These can kill harmful microbes like infection-causing bacteria inside eyes.

Best eye drops for allergies

There are eye drops with antihistamine properties; the key ingredient is either a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or an antagonist of histamines. These drops are known to suppress cellular responses to allergy-causing agents such as dust, mites, pollen or other such foreign particles. The items that can trigger an allergic condition are labelled as allergens.

Typical allergic reactions showing up in your eyes include watery discharge from your eyes, reddening or inflammation (puffing or swelling). These may occur along with nasal blockage incessant sneezing and / or a runny nose. Most forms of allergies may make your conjunctiva (a wafer-thin membrane) to get irritated or undergo an inflammation. This causes a condition called pink-eye. It may make your eyes go teary.

The best eye drops for allergies are antihistamine-based. You can use them for managing discomforts like drying of eyes, teary eyes as well as itchiness. Such eye drops can block chemicals called histamines; these chemicals are the root cause for allergic reactions like itchy sensations as well as reddening of eyes.

Antihistamine-based eye drops such as emedastine difumarate, azelastine hydrochloride, etc. are widely prescribed. These are also eye drops based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Ketorolac is one of the popular NSAID-based drops used to treat eye-based allergies. Itchiness and other allergic reactions tend to go away in about 50 minutes from the time of using such drops.

You may encounter a few side effects like a burning sensation or a stinging feeling; these are common side effects. These may go away on their own once your body is used to these eye drops. In some cases, corticosteroid-based eye drops are prescribed. These are however never used for a longer span of time.

Nasal spray for dry eyes, such as Tyrvaya, works by stimulating the trigeminal nerve to increase natural tear production. Suitable for chronic dry eye sufferers, it offers a practical alternative to eye drops. Applied twice daily, this prescription spray helps maintain eye moisture and improve overall eye comfort, making it a convenient choice for continuous relief.

Continued use of steroidal eye drops can lead to eye conditions like increased pressure level inside your eyes. If unattended to, added ocular pressure can cause hypertension; this may further trigger serious eye conditions like glaucoma.
There are also a few eye-drops that come under the decongestant category of meds. These meds can narrow the arteries carrying blood to your eyes. These bear a few long-term risks like turning your eyes red almost permanently.

Above all, eye drops are always used under the supervision or as per the advice of a qualified eye doctor i.e., an ophthalmologist. Those who try using eye drops for allergies are likely to encounter a few risks. It is one of the reasons pharmacies insist on issuing such drops based on prescriptions from a certified medical professional.

Disclaimer

Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.