Warning to hay fever sufferers as bigger pollen bombs will spark nasty eye conditions

HAY fever sufferers are set for longer and stronger seasons which will spark eye problems, a GP has warned. A recent study found the pollen season increased by 20 days and got stronger by 21 per cent between 1990 and 2018. Not only will this cause more spring and summer hell for people sensitive to […]

HAY fever sufferers are set for longer and stronger seasons which will spark eye problems, a GP has warned.

A recent study found the pollen season increased by 20 days and got stronger by 21 per cent between 1990 and 2018.

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Not only will this cause more spring and summer hell for people sensitive to pollen, it has other health implications.

Dr Nisa Aslam, GP working with Golden Eye, said: “I think we can predict that the hay fever season will be longer and more
intense this summer.

“Pollen affects people in different ways with symptoms centred on sneezing, coughing, blocked noses, and itchy red eyes.

“And with the pollen season lengthening and intensifying we can predict an upsurge in eye inflammation and eye infections such as conjunctivitis.

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“Eyes are very sensitive and people affected by pollen will notice that their eyes become red, itchy, watery, and swollen.

“This is caused by an immunoglobulin (IgE) and histamine both of which are produced in response to pollen exposure.

“The temptation here is to keep touching or rubbing the eye to provide relief but that can create more problems for the eye.

“If we touch our eyes, we leave them open to the possibilities of further eye problems or infections such as styes, conjunctivitis or blepharitis.”

Tree pollen is the first type of powder to explode in the UK, causing symptoms of hay fever from March to mid-May.

Around a quarter of those with hay fever are allergic to tree pollen, the Met Office says – some 2.5 million people. 

From mid-May until July, grass pollen takes over, followed by weed pollen from June to September. 

Grass pollen is the most common allergy for those with hay fever, causing misery throughout the summer months.

On sunny days, the pollen count is highest in the early evening and that’s when you are most likely to suffer from hay fever symptoms, the Met Office says.

The hay fever season is starting when Covid cases are still high, with many of their symptoms overlapping.

The NHS says the main symptoms of hay fever are:

• Sneezing and coughing
• A runny or blocked nose
• Itchy, red or watery eyes
• Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
• Loss of smell
• Pain around your temples and forehead
• Headache
• Earache
• Feeling tired

If you have asthma, you might also:

• Have a tight feeling in your chest
• Be short of breath
• Wheeze and cough

Prof Maureen Baker, Chief Medical Officer for Healthily, a symptom checker platform, previously told The Sun: “Some people will get hay fever symptoms for the first time, and certainly, if you start with a runny nose and sneezing, it’s perfectly reasonable to think that it might be Covid.

“But if they don’t start to feel ill, and hay fever medication helps, it probably is just hay fever.”

Dr Nisa Aslam added: “Be prepared. It’s important to know which type of pollen affects your eyes.

“But know too this summer could cause your eyes to be more affected than in previous years.”

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They recommend:

• Wear glasses instead of contact lenses or wear daily disposable lenses to reduce the build-up of allergens on your lenses.
• If you don’t wear glasses, protect your eyes from outdoor allergens by wearing wrap around style sunglasses. Sunglasses can reduce the amount of pollen entering the eyes by deflecting any air currents carrying pollen
• Keep your eyes clean. Remove or dilute any pollen grains that enter your eyes. Bathe your eyes with clean water, or artificial tears, which are available from your pharmacy, to rinse airborne
• allergens out of your eyes. Always have a shower before bedtime, then gently clean your eye lids to remove any pollen that could cause any irritation whilst you sleep.
• Don’t touch your eyes even though it’s a temptation when they itch. Hands come into contact with most things making it easy to transfer germs and bacteria to the eyes increasing the risk of infection.