Top 10 tips for contact lenses and allergies

If you’re a contact lens wearer, who also suffers from allergies, here’s our list of the top ten tips to limit your exposure and keep yourself and your eyes safe from allergens.

1. Always check the pollen count in your local area in the morning. This way you’ll know of any risks and what to expect
2. Steer clear of using any cleaning, health and beauty products that will trigger your allergies. At times when the pollen count is high, it’s best to stay away from open fields and gardens, or stay indoors completely if you feel you’re at risk
3. When you do go outside, you can help keep pollen out of your eyes by wearing wrap around style sunglasses
4. There are lots of over the counter eye drops that can help relieve the irritating symptoms of hay fever and other eye allergies. Speak to your optician or GP if you need some advice on which drops are for you
5. Make sure to take a small bottle of these eye drops with you when you’re out and about, just in case your allergies start acting up
6. If your eyes begin to feel uncomfortable, it’s highly advisable to remove your contact lenses as a number of airborne allergens could be/get stuck to the surface and aggravate your condition. In fact, we recommend wearing daily disposables during high pollen seasons, so you’ll always be putting a fresh pair of lenses in each day
7. Try your best to not rub your eyes. While it may be hard to resist, it will aggravate your symptoms by releasing histamines into the eye
8. Buying an air purifier with an allergy trapping filter could be a great idea if your house has a heating or cooling system
9. Use cool water to wash your face, and especially around your eyes, every evening. This will get rid of any pollen that’s gathered over the day
10. Speak with your optician or GP to find out if there are any extra measures you can take to protect your eyes from allergies