March marks Save Your Vision Month, a great time to emphasize the importance of eye health, especially during the challenging allergy season. For many, the arrival of spring brings not only blooming flowers and warmer weather but also the unwelcome discomfort of eye allergies. These allergies can cause symptoms such as itching, redness, swelling, and watery eyes, significantly affecting your daily life and vision. However, you can minimize these symptoms and protect your vision with a proper eye care routine. This guide outlines a daily eye care routine tailored for allergy season, including the benefits of using daily contact lenses.
Morning Eye Care Routine
You should start every morning with a clean face. Wash with a gentle cleanser to remove any allergens that may have settled on your skin or eyelashes overnight. Applying a cold compress to your eyes a few minutes later can help reduce swelling and irritation, leading to dry or gritty-feeling eyes throughout the day.
If your eyes are still feeling dry a few hours after you wake up, you can use preservative-free artificial tears to wash away allergens from the surface of your eyes. Our eye care team can help you find the right type of eye drops for you.
Eye Care and Comfort Throughout the Day
Staying hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of water is important. This ensures that your eyes can draw from plenty of moisture in the body when forming the watery part of the tear film that keeps your eyes feeling comfortable and moist. You should also avoid touching your eyes when possible. This helps to avoid introducing bacteria and dust or sand into your eye, causing infection or irritation.
When you go outside, sunglasses are a big help to protect against the harmful effects of UV rays from the sun and protect your eyes from allergens and foreign objects that can cause irritation and inflammation.
Your Evening Eye Care Routine
At the end of the day, if you wear contacts, ensure you remove them before sleeping. Ensure your hands are clean before removing contact lenses to avoid bacteria entering your eyes. Consider switching to daily disposable lenses during allergy season, as they are less likely to accumulate allergens than monthly or weekly lenses.
You should also remove all makeup you wore during the day and cleanse your face thoroughly to eliminate allergens.
The Role of Daily Contact Lenses
For contact lens wearers, allergy season can be particularly challenging. Pollen and other allergens can adhere to lenses, causing discomfort and exacerbating symptoms. Switching to daily disposable contact lenses during allergy season can significantly reduce these issues. Daily disposables are thrown away at the end of the day, preventing the accumulation of allergens and reducing the risk of irritation. Furthermore, the convenience of daily lenses eliminates the need for cleaning and storage, which can also be sources of allergen exposure.
Allergy season doesn't have to be a time of discomfort and compromised vision. By following a tailored daily eye care routine and considering the switch to daily disposable contact lenses, you can significantly reduce allergy symptoms and protect your vision. Remember, maintaining regular check-ups is crucial to managing eye health effectively during this season. Let this Save Your Vision Month be the start of a healthier, happier season for your eyes.
Want to learn more about how we can help keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear? Contact our Swiftwater eye care team at Advanced Eyecare Specialists today!