Inflammation of the conjunctiva due to allergy is known allergic conjunctivitis. This article gives information about causes, symptoms and diagnosis for this infection.
Causes of Allergic Conjunctivitis
It is caused when the eyes come in contact with an allergen, which is a substance that makes the immune system of the body overreact. The eyes become inflamed, sore and sometimes painful.
These symptoms occur because the immune system which overreacts makes the body release histamine and some other active substances. These result in blood vessels’ dilation, which gives irritation to the nerve endings and also causes increased tear secretion.
Allergens which commonly cause allergic conjunctivitis include:
- Animal fur
- Make-up
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Eye drops
Symptoms
The following are some of the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis:
- Eye pain : Some people experience pain in the eye. If your eyes are painful and very red, consult your doctor. Any person with painful, red/pink eyes, experiencing sensitivity to light and feels her/his vision is affected should consult a doctor immediately.
- Eyes become pink/red : This is one of the most common symptoms. As the capillaries in the conjunctiva widen, the eyes become more irritated.
- Itchiness: There may be itchiness as the eyes get irritated. It may worsen if you rub them.
- Swollen eyelids: The eyelids may become swollen if the conjunctiva gets inflamed or if the patient rubs the eye a lot.
- Soreness : Inflammation makes the eye area feel tender and sore.
Diagnosis
A good general practitioner should diagnose allergic conjunctivitis by assessing the signs and symptoms of the patient. Signs are what your doctor can see such as red eye. Symptoms are what you describe to your doctor such as pain. The doctor may ask for other symptoms like runny/ blocked nose and sneezing.
Allergic conjunctivitis is of different categories. Following are some of them:
- Giant papillary conjunctivitis
- Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis
- Contact conjunctivitis
- Perennial conjunctivitis
