Conjunctivitis is a fairly common disease that most people face at least once in their life. And although the most common cause of inflammation is infection, the disease is often an allergic reaction. So how is allergic conjunctivitis treated ? What are the signs of a disease?
Allergic conjunctivitis: causes
An allergy is nothing more than a manifestation of an organism’s increased sensitivity to a particular group of substances. But before you find out how allergic conjunctivitis is treated, you should familiarize yourself with the main causes of its occurrence.
To date, the mechanisms of the occurrence of an allergic reaction are not fully understood. Nevertheless, it has been proven that such a problem is often of a genetic nature. Almost any substance can act as an allergen:
- Many people suffer from the so-called seasonal allergies. In this case, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes occurs as a result of contact with pollen from plants.
- Potentially hazardous substances can also include various cosmetics, including soap, shampoos, mascara, eye cream, etc.
- In some cases, the cause of inflammation is ordinary dust, or rather, the protein breakdown products of animal organisms (for example, insects) contained in it.
- People working in factories or laboratories often suffer from the disease, as they often have to deal with certain chemicals.
- Prolonged use of contact lenses can also lead to the appearance of an inflammatory process.
- A similar problem is often encountered by people who have undergone ophthalmic surgery, after which scars remain on the mucous membrane.
Statistics also show that this form of conjunctivitis is much more often diagnosed in patients with eczema, dermatoses and other allergic diseases.
Symptoms of Allergic Conjunctivitis
Most often, the first symptoms appear within a day after exposure to an allergen. In this case, edema and redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes are observed. The main symptoms are constant burning and severe itching, which bring a lot of trouble to a person's life. Symptoms also include lacrimation. In most cases, this form of the disease is accompanied by a runny nose. But an allergic reaction is not accompanied by the formation of pus - discharge from the eyes is transparent.
Allergic conjunctivitis treatment: basic principles
With a similar problem, it is best to immediately contact an ophthalmologist, since in some cases the lack of treatment can lead to damage to the mucous membrane. By the way, allergic conjunctivitis in children is often diagnosed . Treatment depends on both the patient’s age and the severity of the symptoms.
Of course, first of all, it is necessary to determine the nature of the allergen and eliminate any contact with it, for example, change cosmetics, use safety glasses when working with chemicals, etc.
In addition, the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis includes the use of antihistamines. Doctors also recommend the use of special eye drops that moisturize the eyes, eliminate itching and pain. In some cases, the use of drugs containing steroid hormones is required - they quickly help eliminate the inflammatory process.