Good day
Allergy season is upon us once again, itchy, teary, red eyes; uncomfortable contact lenses; flu like symptoms are all quite common this time of the year, and are often misdiagnosed. Spring means a lot of pollen and often dust in the air, which may irritate the eyes and nasal passages resulting in the symptoms mentioned. If you have developed flu like symptoms such as sneezing, runny/clogged nose, a scratchy throat, and fatigue, which do not seem to get better when you take flu medication, chances are, you’re suffering from allergic rhinitis, which requires anti histamine tablets. This affects young and old alike, so please pay attention to the little ones, if they’re constantly rubbing their eyes, they may be affected.
If you are prone to seasonal allergies, there are a few things you can do in addition to anti histamine tablets or eye drops, to help minimise your symptoms. Try to reduce your exposure to the allergen (which is floating about in the air) by staying indoors, cleaning your carpets thoroughly to minimise dust, using humidifiers, and wearing sunglasses when outside. If you wear contact lenses, try to reduce your wearing time. Seasonal allergies are usually short lived, the symptoms tend to go away as soon as it rains, but they return the following year. Please consult so we can confirm the diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatment.
