Any top tips how to help hayfever eyes ? My daughter is so fed up

[CassandraWebb]

We have antihistamine, prescription nose spray, some eye drops.
She can barely open her eyes, she doesn't want to miss school but she can't really function at all.

I'd love any tips on how to help her !

Here's the advice from NHS England but to summarize:

In the short term smear vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen, (this sounds dreadful by the way, I can't stand the greasy feeling of vaseline) and wear wraparound sunglasses. There's other tips too.

If it's really bad you may be able to get steroids or be put forward for immunotherapy treatment.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hay-fever/

There's some hayfever wipes you can buy (often in B&M) that work well.

Wearing sunglasses, even indoors.

Keep windows closed

I was that bad in my teenage years that my exams were in danger as I had to stay in a dark damp room in summer! I had steroids at 15 - injections which I think they won't allow now - but I have had barely anything since. On a very high pollen day I get slightly scratchy eyes, but nothing more; and most years nothing at all. Worth talking to your doctor, and don't get fobbed off.

There’s also the theory, (mostly debunked) bit some people do swear by it - that eating local honey from local bees can help. Maybe it only works if you're from Royston Vesey.

Anyway, honey's lovely, it can't do any harm and might cheer her up a bit.

Hay fever can be miserable. As well as throwing everything above at it I would suggest a shower or even just washing hands and face when she comes in from outside might help. Apparently some air purifiers work well but I haven't tried one.

There was a great article in the Guardian last month, where the author tested a load of hayfever remedies:

https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/may/29/how-to-stop-hay-fever

If you can afford it, get a decent air purifier for her room. I got a Phillips one for about £50.

I wash my face with cool water, and hands & arms throughout the day - a rinse is usually fine. Eye baths with proper sterile solution help too.

It's hard to stop touching itchy eyes so get her into the habit of hand washing after being outdoors, touching pets etc and throughout the day - and before she touches her eyes. If she must rub? Clean hands first.

Some days just stripping off, taking a shower, washing my face, and putting clean clothes on makes a big difference.

GP may be able to prescribe stronger anti histamines.

What anti histamines is she taking? Fexofenadine is now OTC and game changer for me

Thank you, I didn't know other antihistamines might be an option! And have been googling air purifiers

I second the suggestion of using eye wipes. I usually suffer during hay fever season with itchy eyes but now use eye wipes twice a day along the bottom of the surface of the eye and the general eye area which I guess prevents pollen from building up.

Oh thank you!

I think I felt quite despairing seeing her struggling so much this morning

I splash/wash my face a lot too. And if it's really bad, I change my clothes when I get home, and wipe over my hair with a damp flannel (obvs washing is better, but I can't be doing that ALL the time!).

I also have a sheet over my bed at the pillow end, like a pollen catcher, that I remove before bed. And I change my pillow cases every other night or so. And hoover, a lot.

Some antihistamines can be doubled, but as she's a child, don't do this without checking with a pharmacist or Dr.

And cold things help me -icy drinks, damp face clothsfrom the fridge, a cooling eye mask all soothe my itchy throat and eyes.

I used to have terrible hayfever the answer to her problem is Hayfever eye drops, one a day hayfever tablets and Benadryl nasal spray. All three, use as directed consistently everyday until pollen season reduces, for my this was mid July as grass and tree pollen were the worst.
For relief, a cold wet flannel over the face/eyes is nice.
Find air conditioning for some respite. A trip to the supermarket coffee shop?

Is there anywhere at school that air con that she could use.

Keep windows shut, you can get air purifiers for home, there is a brand called blue air on allergycosmo I’ve had for years.

In fairness our GP was great when I asked for her to start the nose.spray that has worked so well for her brother's hayfever (albeit now he doesn't always remember to use it!) .

Sometimes it's even knowing that there are more things you can ask for though! And I am happy to try things I can do at home as well

I am on fexofenadine 180mg which is the strongest strength. My eyes are so sore and puffy.

It does not help by having surgery on both eyes. Had two surgeries on one eye and just one on the other. Everyone I know/knew who had eye surgery say that eyes are more sensitive.

The conditions are not brilliant for a hay fever sufferer. Wet winter, warm and dry spring. That means the various sources of pollen are big and strong. As bigger flowers, leaves etc.

Then councils not cutting back grass verges to cut costs. Nothing to do with wildlife. As when they were regularly cut, they didn't have chance to develop flowers and seed pods - sources of pollen. Now they grow to heights where these develop.

I am fearing a dry and windy autumn as when the leaves break down, it breaks down into a dust.

When go abroad, I don't have any symptoms, I'm allergic to this country

It's always easier by the sea if you're able to take day or weekend trips during peak pollen weeks.

I rate this air purifier, although it was much cheaper when I bought it! https://amzn.eu/d/3iwMXnH

We live basically by the sea... I am actually not sure how my children would survive inland

Thank you for the purifier tip

I agree with fexofenadine being a game changer.

I start taking antihistamine after Christmas. Just one a day until the hayfever hits in March and then I take two a day. Starting early definitely helps.

My DH hads this really badly - had to live between Aircon car and aircon office. He was recommended a homeopath, who tested him and gave a different preparation each year. No troubles ever since then. Another thing to try is Eyebright, a plant that soothes eyes, in form of drops or tinctures, eg Baldwins do it.

We tend to start around start of Feb.
But DD had only had pretty mild symptoms till now,.and so I feel like I am on a steep learning curve!

I had similar problems. I took a daily oral antihistamine, which helped a bit, but didn't really see it off completely.
Then a trip to the optician diagnosed me with very dry eyes and introduced me to some drops with the brand name Hycosan. They sell them in Boots, at about £15 a bottle, but they're often on offer. I use the red bottle in the morning and the purple bottle at night.
I started using them twice a day in a September, and 2 summers on, my eyes are nowhere near as bad as they used to be. They still get a bit scratchy on high-pollen days, but are generally loads better.

Fexofenadine + fluticasone furoate nasal spray.
Daily.
Religiously.
From March to October.

Instead of Vaseline (yuck, I agree) I use a beeswax based lip balm around my nostrils. Protects against soreness from nose blowing, too.

My hay-fever is nothing like as bad as when I was younger but peak grass pollen still makes a mess of me. I no longer tolerate antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays make my nose bleed if I use them continuously.

For my eyes I use the medicated eyedrops with sodium cromoglycate in. They're also available off the shelf, now, not even needing a pharmacy. I find the soothing drops useful for the rest of the year but only the medicated drops help with the June burning.

Sterimar nasal spray has been so useful, this summer - it really helps to flush everything out.

I really feel for your daughter. My hayfever was really bad during my teens and it was awful with exams. Tried lots of different things until found a routine/ drugs that help in the twenty years since (I’m 35). Read the Guardian article above and had never thought to use Vicks so thanks to the pp.

1 a day antihistamine. I generally use cetrizine or loratadine. I find I have to change antihistamine every couple of years as their effectiveness wears off. Can get a 12 month supply for ~£9 at Amazon.

beconase nasal spray. Tried the Vaseline on nostrils- not a good look for me and didn’t help.

Opticrom eye drops- am a fan of these. I only need to use them during very high grass pollen periods.

Having a shower, washing hair and skin, and changing clothes when I come back home after being outdoors.

Drying clothes inside. Drives me crazy in summer but it does help reduce pollen in clothes so I’m as ‘pollen free’ as possible at the start of the day!

Hay-fever wipes helped me.