Ocular Allergies (Clinic located in Maryland and northern Virginia)

Allergy and Asthma Clinical Centers provide eye allergy relief and treatment for all patients suffering from itchy eyes, watery eyes, eyes swelling allergic conjunctivitis and other ocular allergies symptoms in Germantown, Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Rockville and Poolesville in Montgomery County, MD as well as in Manassas, Manassas Park and Centerville and surrounding areas of Northern Virginia.  

Also called allergic conjunctivitis or ocular allergy, eye allergy occurs when something you are allergic to irritates the conjunctiva. This is the delicate membrane covering the eye and the inside of the eyelid. In this case, allergic reactions result in symptoms such as eyes that water, itch, hurt, become red or swollen, sensitive to light, blurry vision and eyes crusting in the morning.

The most common causes of allergic conjunctivitis are seasonal allergens such as pollen. People with seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) notice their symptoms worsen when they go outdoors on days with high pollen counts. Indoor allergens such as dust mites and pet dander can also cause eye allergies year-round. Thus, you may notice your symptoms worsen during certain activities such as cleaning your house or grooming a pet. Eye allergy symptoms can be very annoying.

Unlike conditions such as pink eye, allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious. If your symptoms are related to an eye allergy, chances are you will have problems in both eyes. If you wear contact lenses you will benefit greatly from switching to daily disposable lenses. Topical eye antihistamines (prescription and over-the-counter) can provide immediate relief. However, their use may be limited if you use contact lenses. Steroid nasal sprays may be useful for eye symptoms related to nasal allergies, indirectly, in milder cases. Over-the-counter oral antihistamines can help as well, but may lead to dry eye problems.

There is also number of conditions which can present with red, itchy or tender, swollen eyes but may not be caused by allergies and some of them, such as infections, can threaten your eyesight. Thus, it is critical to be examined and diagnosed by our Board certified Allergist who can differentiate these conditions and prescribe appropriate therapy. Allergen immunotherapy in our AACC offices works very well to relieve and eliminate eye allergy symptoms and our Allergist will be happy to discuss this option with you.