When the first pollen is spread by the wind in late February or March, allergy sufferers are alarmed. Their nose begins to run, their eyes swell and water, and at times they even lose their breath. Itching in the nose or eyes is the least of the problems. They avoid the outdoors, get antihistamines from the pharmacy and wait for the annoying phase to pass. Their quality of life seems to be greatly reduced for a few days or weeks. Those who, in addition to all the stressful symptoms of ‘hay fever, are also contact lens wearers, sometimes forego the benefits of the lens during the critical period. Because the pollen feels like grains of sand in the eye – all other foreign bodies are to be avoided there strictly. But taking into account certain conditions, contact lens wearers get through the hay fever months well.
What is hay fever actually?
Hay fever is generally an allergic reaction of the body against the products of the male reproductive organs of flowers – the stamens. These usually produce a large amount of pollen or pollen once a year, but sometimes several times a year, which is transferred either by the wind or by insects to the female reproductive organs – the pistil with pistil and stigma. Pollen is chemically composed of proteins – protein substances – and is identified by the immune system of allergy sufferers as dangerous foreign substances. By coughing, tearing and sneezing, their bodies try to get rid of them or at least decimate them. To ensure this, the mucous membranes in the throat, pharynx and nose swell. The cornea and conjunctiva of the eye redden and are on the defensive. Hay fever can be seasonal to a very specific plant or year-round to a wide variety of allergens in the home (such as dust mite excretions or animal dander and dander).
So what about wearing contact lenses for hay fever?
Anyone who does well with contact lenses year-round can feel free to wear their contact lenses during allergic days, weeks and months. It makes no difference to his immune system whether they rest on the cornea or not. The point is only to decide whether the contact lens wearer subjectively feels better during the critical period without contact lenses. In the case of severe allergies, that is, severe swelling, redness or severe itching, it is probably easier to do without the contact lenses. Above all, the constant temptation to rub the eye with your hands to suppress the itching only intensifies it. In all other cases, however, the contact lenses can be worn, taking into account some facts.
Hard or soft?
Convinced contact lens wearers who are allergic to pollen use alternative lenses during the critical period, that is, they change their lenses more frequently (monthly, daily lenses).Many of them are allergic to the pollen of only one or two plants, which is easier to overcome than a general allergy to pollen. Thus, by switching to alternative lenses, a week or two of pollen can be easily survived. Daily disposable lenses in particular provide the eye with more moisture and are more hygienic than monthly or annual lenses, which have to be cleaned daily. Daily disposable lenses are a very good alternative for sensitive wearers throughout the year and a great help especially for allergy sufferers during the critical period. Hard contact lenses are not tolerated as well as soft ones by many people, as they are generally perceived as foreign bodies. If foreign bodies such as dust or hair get into the eye, they can slip under the lens more easily with hard lenses and irritate the cornea. Soft contact lenses are usually so well tolerated that wearers do not even notice their presence. However, they are considered less healthy by experts because they dry out the eye more. In the case of allergies, however, the conditions are different as far as the choice of hard or soft contact lenses is concerned. Soft lenses are more permeable to both oxygen and allergens due to the porous material. Furthermore, residues of cleaning and storage solutions, but especially of often incompatible preservatives, can settle in these pores and further reduce tolerance during the allergy period.For example, allergic contact lens wearers are advised to use only wetting and cleaning agents that are free of preservatives.
Moisture instead of tears
To keep the eye moist, natural tears and regular blinking are usually enough. However, contact lens wearers are familiar with the problem that the eye becomes drier and drier during the course of the day and even blinking is perceived as uncomfortable. When wearing lenses, the moistening by the natural tear fluid no longer functions optimally, which is why many contact lens wearers turn to wetting drops. These are chemically very similar to the human tear fluid and moisten the eye with every blink. Thus, allergic contact lens wearers are advised to use these wetting drops regularly. This will flush pollen and fractions of pollen out of the eye.
Proper cleaning
Because pollen residue settles on contact lenses without being seen by the naked eye, the more closely and conscientiously allergy sufferers’ lenses must be cleaned. Especially lenses that are worn for a month or longer must be completely freed from allergens. The deposits on the surface of the lens already irritate the eyes of non-allergy sufferers. Thus, the eye of allergy sufferers, which is already under stress, is stressed by these deposits in addition to the allergic reaction. Lenses must be cleaned more often daily during the pollen season and sprinkled with a wetting solution. Allergic contact lens wearers are advised here to use special protein removers, which reliably removes pollen and its debris from the surface of the lens.
Protection for the eye
To ensure the comfort of wearing contact lenses, it must be remembered that the eyes of contact lens wearers are more sensitive to light than the eyes of spectacle wearers. With contact lenses, more light can reach the cornea and through the pupil to the lens than with glasses. Thus, it is highly recommended and for everyone to wear sunglasses outdoors, where it is essential to pay attention to the quality of the lenses (UV radiation!). Here should not be saved at the wrong place. For contact lens wearers who are allergic, this applies to an even greater extent. An irritated eye should not experience any additional stress. Sunglasses can additionally block the way into the eye for many pollen on a purely mechanical way or at least make it more difficult for them to penetrate. Here, too, the glasses must be cleaned regularly, because even after a few hours the pollen residues are able to trigger allergic reactions.
Conclusion
If the eyes of the allergic contact lens wearer are extremely irritated, he or she is best to do without the contact lenses and use the optical glasses or, outdoors, the optical sunglasses. In all other cases, if the above recommendations are followed, it is not a must to do without the lenses during the critical period.
