Nothing working for hayfever eyes

[AutumnBrooke]

I've had awful hayfever since mid-Feb. Gone through all of the usual OTC meds and natural stuff as well. GP prescribed me a nasal spray antihistamine but my eyes and sinuses were both still really swollen so he then gave me a combined antihistamine and steroid nasal spray. I think it's called Dymista. It has totally cured the nasal symptoms but my eyes still itch like mad all day and night, are bloodshot and sometimes swollen.

I asked him about fexofendadine as I've heard it's good but he didn't want me to take it as I have tachycardia which is controlled by beta blockers.

Are there actually any other options put there for me? Thinking of calling the GP again but he seemed fed up with me last time. But I've now spent 2 months scared to go outside because my symptoms get so bad.

I've tried Optrex hayfever eye drops, Optrex itchy eyes, Hycosan dry eye drops, Optrex Actinist, cold eye mask. Optrex itchy eyes works the best but they're still constantly itchy, sore, red and swollen.

Any ideas? Is it worth bothering the GO or do I just put up with it and hope it goes away soon?

You've tried wearing massive glasses all day long? Avoiding mascara and rinsing your eyes a lot?

And it won't help for the day, but having a cover over your bed clothes that you remove, and a clean pillowcase each night? Washing your hair more regularly/ wiping it over with a damp flannel often?

I'm jo use on the medication side. Poor you, my hay-fever is rotten too but I've not been through al, the medication that you have, so at least I feel I still have options ahead!

Yes I wear sunglasses when I have to go outside. I do wear mascara but have super blonde eyelashes so that is a necessity!

I keep all the windows closed in my bedroom and the internal door closed too. It is horrible as it feels stale and muggy without fresh air but we have trees near the house that I think I particularly react to so don't dare open a window.

I've stopped going out for walks/runs and if I have to be outside for more than 10/20 mins I shower and wash my hair as soon as I get home.

Never had this problem before I had covid last March and my usually very mild hayfever exploded 🤧

Feels like it is controlling my life as much as lockdown did!

Maybe go & see an optician? Try & find a prescribing one - in Somerset we have ACES (Acute Community Eyecare for Somerset). You may need a referral from the GP, but then the optician can really see what's going on.

I have hay fever too & a few years ago got normal symptoms including itchy eyes. Took all usual stuff but my eyes just wouldn't get better. Saw the GP 2-3 times, got several different drops/ointments but they didn't work. Eventually GP admitted defeat & referred me to ACES. I have an optician, but they couldn't prescribe meds so went through ACES to see a different one. He diagnosed the problem straight away (Episcleritis),** prescribed the meds & the condition cleared up within a few weeks & hasn't come back.

I take flexofenadine (can’t spell it though) but i still get itchy eyes. I was given the nasal spray but i hated it. Then about 2 years ago someone suggested haymax and it wonders for me.

I've been having awful problems too, for almost a year.
Trawling around the internet I came across something called MADE, which is Mask Associated Dry Eyes, apparently, and doctors are seeing lots of people with this issue. (Not my doc, though, because he is fed up with me harping on about it and didn't suggest it)

It really drags you down, having constantly watery, red rimmed eyes, though.

Do you use haymax around your eyes?

I use it in my nose if I have to be outside for a while and it does help a bit. I tried it around my eyes once but it looked really weird like I had a sticky face and I don't think it made any difference to my eye symptoms.

My eyes do look like the pics of episcleritis but it is definitely much worse if I go outside so not sure if that means it is definitely hayfever and not something else. Also says usual treatment is dry eye drops which I'm already using.

Hmmm, sounds like it might be worth a call to the GP though.

DH finds Opticrom good, in conjunction with a nasal spray. It looks like it has the same active ingredient as the Optrex hay fever drops so I don't know if it would be worth trying.

I was prescribed steroid eye drops for the episcleritis which worked a treat. But tbh an optician may be your best bet as GPS are by their very name general practitioners, whereas opticians specialise in eyes.

I use the hayfever wipes you get in like Superdrug or savers (white and yellow/orange packet) and thoroughly wipe my eyes, mouth and nose. Up the nose as well to be safe.

But I’ve also started using a gel eye mask (one of the cool ones) for twenty minutes in the morning and that’s helped massively as well

This is of absolutely no use to you this year but should be useful for next - you need to start the steroid drops at least 2 weeks before your hayfever symptoms start for them to be effective.

So if you have symptoms from mid Feb you need to start end of Jan.

Personally I just take anti-histamine year round as then I don't forget.

Liz Earle Eyebright might help to soothe the itchiness.

Ketotifen eyedrops.

@AutumnBrooke

Do you use haymax around your eyes?

I use it in my nose if I have to be outside for a while and it does help a bit. I tried it around my eyes once but it looked really weird like I had a sticky face and I don't think it made any difference to my eye symptoms.

I put a thin layer on of a morning before i go out and then top it up if needs be. I couldn’t see it unless i really looked

I use telfast, fexofanadine and opticrom drops. Some days my eyes are unbearable, particularly in March then it drops down to a normal itchy level. What I find helps the most is using the opticrom 4 times a day, from mid February until the end of the high pollen season (about September I think). Also Vaseline on my eyes at bedtime and a filter in my bedroom.

Absolutely rubbish help in terms of getting you back out and about in the lovely sun OP, but when I’m at home and it gets this bad I just have showers and wash my face loads. It provides some relief indoors at least! You poor thing, I know how awful it is

This won't help stop the symptoms appearing but it will help soothe your eyes.

Steep 2 chamomile tea bags in half a cup of boiling water. When cool, put the whole thing in the fridge. When cold, lightly wring out the tea bags and put them on your eyes. The relief should be pretty immediate.

You can use the tea to gently cleanse your eyes too. Repeat as often as needed. Reduces swelling, is soothing and calms irritation.

I feel your pain OP, allergies are the bane of my life. I found that the thick gloopy eye stuff at night helped with dryness. I think it’s call xalin or similar. As well as all the usual nasal sprays/eye drops etc.
Also, if you’ve not tried it then I would seriously recommend acupuncture. It’s not a cheap solution but when I was seeing an acupuncturist for something else and my allergies were awful, she treated my sinus area and I walked out of the room 20 mins later with NO allergy symptoms at all. Sinuses fine, eyes no longer itching. Lasted for about 10 days. Felt like a miracle.

In my experience you need to take anti-histamine year round. If the symptoms have started it's already too late. Keep taking it now with a view to a better summer.
Also, how's your diet? Staying on a whole food anti-inflammatory diet could help. Why not commit to that for 3 weeks combined with 16:8 to boost the anti-inflammatory element?

Hi OP, I use opticrom and also viscotears. The opticrom is anti allergy. Viscotears keep my eyes lubricated and feel so soothing.

Thanks for the suggestions. Opticrom has the same ingredients as Optrex hayfever relief and that doesn't seem to work at all for me.

I already do 16:8 and eat healthily, no alcohol and minimal sugar. Personally not convinced that would have any effect on an allergy anyway.

Is Ketotifen OTC or prescription?

I have a telephone appointment with the GP this afternoon. Wondering if it's worth emailing him pics of my eyes. Not much to see though, just bloodshot and a bit swollen.

You can get prescription antihistamine and steroid eyedrops. Can you go to eye causality.

If your eyes itch, you have a greater chance of rubbing them and damaging the cornea.

Opticrom contains sodium chromoglicate. It is called a Mast Cell Stabiliser. This means it stops the mast cells from releasing the histamine that plagues you. Therefore, as a PP said, it needs to be used in the preceding weeks/months. It will not give immediate relief as you will already have histamine circulating in your system.

You need an anti-histamine as well, such as antazoline for more immediate help.

However best thing is ketotifen (as mentioned) or a favourite is olopatadine. These two medications are POM (prescription needed) and are combination mast cell inhibitor and anti-histamines. They are far far more effective than anything you can buy OTC. I'd ask for olopatidine if I were you - it needs twice daily use.

And for the record, steroid eye drops are not recommended for seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Occasionally NSAID will be given, but really only by an ophthalmologist.

Most places will not allow you to just present at eye casualty. You'd need a referral from an Optometrist or GP and to be honest, hay fever does not warrant an emergency appointment. A routine appt would all you'd be offered I'd imagine.

I found Opticrom the most useless eye drops ever.