Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionHow Long Does It Last?When to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
How Long Does It Last?
When to See a Provider
AC is different from other types ofconjunctivitisbased on what causes it. Two other types,bacterial conjunctivitisandviral conjunctivitis, are highly contagious, meaning they are easily spread from person to person.Conjunctivitis is also calledpink eye.
Conjunctivitis affects the inside of the eyelids and theconjunctiva—the membrane that covers the eyeball.The conjunctiva is vulnerable to allergens, especially whenpollen levelsare high during spring and early fall.
This article will cover types of allergic conjunctivitis, causes, symptoms, treatment, and more.
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Types of Allergic Conjunctivitis
Some types of allergic conjunctivitis are more common than others. Types include:
Seasonal Allergic Conjunctivitis
Itching, watery mucus discharge, burning, and redness are common eye symptoms with seasonal AC. In people withhay fever, additional symptoms may affect the nose and throat.
Hay fever, also calledallergic rhinitis, causes cold-like symptoms.An allergic response to outdoor and indoor allergens causes it.
Symptoms of hay fever include:
Perennial Conjunctivitis
Contact Conjunctivitis
A delayed hypersensitivity reaction can be seen with certain substances when they come in contact with the eye.These include:
The reaction can affect the eyelids, conjunctiva, and cornea.
Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis
Giant papillary conjunctivitis(GPC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the eye due to the eye’s reaction to a foreign body. It is controversial as to whether it should be classified as an allergic reaction rather than a foreign-body hypersensitivity reaction.
It results in papillae (small, round bumps) that develop on the upper tarsal conjunctiva (the underside of the eyelid). The bumps develop when the upper tarsus rubs over a foreign object in the eye. Long-term use of soft contact lenses, having an artificial eye, or surgical stitches can cause GPC papillae.
GPC causes the affected eyelid to feel rough, red, or swollen. The papillae will then form and can grow to about the size of a pimple.
Additional symptoms include:
Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis
Atopic keratoconjunctivitis(AKC) results from atopy—the genetic tendency to develop allergic conditions.For people with AKC, an abnormal hypersensitivity response leads to inflammation of the eyelid linings and the surface of the eyes.
The onset of symptoms will occur years after the atopy has developed. Symptoms may occur at any time of the year but tend to be worse in the winter months.
Symptoms of AKC include:
Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis(VKC) is a recurrent inflammatory eye disease that occurs seasonally. It tends to present in children and young adults (ages 1 to 22) during the late spring to late summer months.
Additional eye symptoms may include:
VKC tends to run in families. Risk factors include:
Is It Pink Eye or Allergies?
What Causes Allergic Conjunctivitis?
Environmental allergens cause AC. It is common, affecting about 10% to 20% of the population.Between 40% and 60% of people with allergies have eye symptoms.
AC occurs when the immune system overreacts. This reaction triggers the body to produce histamine (a chemical reaction) to fight off foreign invaders.
Allergens that cause this type of response include:
Some people are at a higher risk for AC. This includes people who have allergies.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 100 million people in the United States experience various types of allergies.
In 2021, 81 million Americans were diagnosed with hay fever, which equals around 26% of adults and 19% of children. If you live in an area where pollen counts are high, you likely will be more susceptible to AC than people in other regions.
Allergies tend to run in families.Research has long identified a genetic component for allergies, and there are distinct susceptibility genes for hay fever and allergic asthma.
What Are the Symptoms of Allergic Conjunctivitis?
AC typically presents in both eyes, but not always equally. The most common eye symptoms of AC are:
Nasal symptoms, including congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and post-natal drip, may also accompany eye symptoms.
Symptoms of AC may appear quickly once the eyes come in contact with an allergen. However, if eye drops or contact lenses cause AC, symptoms may appear after a few days.
People with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis will have symptoms during the early spring into the summer and sometimes in late summer and early fall.Perennial allergic conjunctivitis can cause symptoms at any time during the year, but symptoms can be worse during certain times of the year (i.e., when pollen levels are high).
Contact conjunctivitis and giant papillary conjunctivitis are not seasonal, so they can occur at any time of the year.
How Is Allergic Conjunctivitis Diagnosed?
Additional tests may be requested, including:
How Is Allergic Conjunctivitis Treated?
Depending on the severity, AC can be treated with at-home remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) treatments, and prescription medications.
How to Find Relief at Home
Some home remedies might offer relief for AC. This includes:
Relief for Eye Allergy Symptoms
OTC Medications
OTC medications can offer symptom relief. Options include:
Artificial tears:Artificial tears can mimic natural tears to dilute the allergen and return eye moisture. They contain eye lubricants such as carboxymethylcellulose sodium. They are available as eye drops, gels, and ointments. Brand names for artificial tears include:
While artificial tears tend to be safe, it is still a good idea to check with your healthcare provider about using these medications long term.Long-term use may lead to chronic dry eye.
These drops work well but are not recommended for long-term use because using these products for long periods can lead to “rebound redness.“This means that the eyes become dependent on the drops and will experience redness when you stop using them.
Dual-acting antihistamine-mast cell stabilizing agents: Antihistamine-mast cell stabilizer eye drops are effective treatments for allergic conjunctivitis. They combine antihistamine and mast-cell-stabilizing activity and are considered first-line therapies for providing symptom relief and blocking inflammation related to AC.
OTC brand name antihistamine-mast cell stabilizer eye drops include:
Oral antihistamines:These drugs can improve AC symptoms, including itching, tearing, and redness. They include:
Flonase Sensimist Nasal Spray and Flonase Allergy Relief Nasal Spray (fluticasone): Fluticasone is used to treat seasonal and year-round allergies. It can also help relieve allergy eye symptoms, including itchy, watchy eyes.It is considered a corticosteroid and works in the nose to block the effects of allergens.
Prescription Medications
If at-home remedies and OTC treatments do not help relieve AC, your healthcare provider can prescribe stronger medications to manage symptoms.
Prescription treatments for treating AC might include:
How Can I Prevent Allergic Conjunctivitis?
The best way to prevent AC is to avoid exposure to environmental allergens. Unfortunately, common allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, and animal dander, can be difficult to avoid.
Some ways to reduce the effects of allergens are:
How Long Does Allergic Conjunctivitis Last?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allergy symptoms typically improve after the exposure to the allergen stops. Allergy medications and eye drops may also help relieve symptoms and reduce recovery time.
Complications are rare with AC.However, in the long term, allergic conjunctivitis could cause damage to thecornea(the clear dome of tissue at the front of the eye) and affect vision. Medications used to treat the condition may also increase the risk of cataracts.
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
You should see a healthcare provider if signs of AC do not improve in a few days or if at-home treatments are not helping. You should also reach out to your healthcare provider if you think your eye is infected and if you have pain with blinking.
Additional symptoms that warrant a healthcare provider visit include:
Signs that eye symptoms indicate a more serious problem and require immediate medical attention include:
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should call 911 or visit a local emergency room.
Summary
Allergic conjunctivitis, a type of pink eye, results from exposure to allergens, including grass and plant pollen, mold spores, and household dust.
Symptoms include red, itchy, watery eyes. People with allergies are at an increased risk for AC. Allergies tend to run in families.
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25 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Conjunctivitis: What is pink eye?Kellogg Eye Center: Michigan Medicine.Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (hayfever).MedlinePlus.Hay fever.Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: a systematic review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020;15(3):372-395. doi:10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456Villegas BV, Benitez-Del-Castillo JM.Current knowledge in allergic conjunctivitis.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2021;51(1):45-54. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2020.11456American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.College of Optometrists.Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vernal keratoconjunctivitis.Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Allergic conjunctivitis Information.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Conjunctivitis (pink eye) for clinicians.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.John Hopkins Medicine.Allergic conjunctivitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Conjunctivitis treatment.Chang KL, Guarderas JC.Allergy testing: Common questions and answers.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):34-39.The Charles T. Campbell Eye Microbiology Lab. UPMC Schools of Heath Science.Lab diagnostic testing: cytology.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Allergic conjunctivitis.American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.Kim M, Lee Y, Mehra D, Sabater AL, Galor A.Dry eye: why artificial tears are not always the answer.BMJ Open Ophthalmol. 2021;6(1):e000697. doi:10.1136/bmjophth-2020-000697American Academy of Ophthalmology.Redness-relieving eye drops.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Redness-relieving eye drops.Ben-Eli H, Solomon A.Topical antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, and dual-action agents in ocular allergy: current trends.Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018;18(5):411-416. doi:10.1097/ACI.0000000000000473Hossenbaccus L, Linton S, Garvey S, Ellis AK.Towards definitive management of allergic rhinitis: best use of new and established therapies.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020;16:39. Published 2020 May 27. doi:10.1186/s13223-020-00436-yCastillo M, Scott NW, Mustafa MZ, Mustafa MS, Azuara-Blanco A.Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilisers for treating seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(6):CD009566. Published 2015 Jun 1. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009566.pub2American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Allergy shots (immunotherapy).Harvard Health.Warning signs of a serious eye problem.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Conjunctivitis: What is pink eye?Kellogg Eye Center: Michigan Medicine.Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (hayfever).MedlinePlus.Hay fever.Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: a systematic review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020;15(3):372-395. doi:10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456Villegas BV, Benitez-Del-Castillo JM.Current knowledge in allergic conjunctivitis.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2021;51(1):45-54. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2020.11456American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.College of Optometrists.Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vernal keratoconjunctivitis.Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Allergic conjunctivitis Information.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Conjunctivitis (pink eye) for clinicians.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.John Hopkins Medicine.Allergic conjunctivitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Conjunctivitis treatment.Chang KL, Guarderas JC.Allergy testing: Common questions and answers.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):34-39.The Charles T. Campbell Eye Microbiology Lab. UPMC Schools of Heath Science.Lab diagnostic testing: cytology.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Allergic conjunctivitis.American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.Kim M, Lee Y, Mehra D, Sabater AL, Galor A.Dry eye: why artificial tears are not always the answer.BMJ Open Ophthalmol. 2021;6(1):e000697. doi:10.1136/bmjophth-2020-000697American Academy of Ophthalmology.Redness-relieving eye drops.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Redness-relieving eye drops.Ben-Eli H, Solomon A.Topical antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, and dual-action agents in ocular allergy: current trends.Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018;18(5):411-416. doi:10.1097/ACI.0000000000000473Hossenbaccus L, Linton S, Garvey S, Ellis AK.Towards definitive management of allergic rhinitis: best use of new and established therapies.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020;16:39. Published 2020 May 27. doi:10.1186/s13223-020-00436-yCastillo M, Scott NW, Mustafa MZ, Mustafa MS, Azuara-Blanco A.Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilisers for treating seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(6):CD009566. Published 2015 Jun 1. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009566.pub2American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Allergy shots (immunotherapy).Harvard Health.Warning signs of a serious eye problem.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Conjunctivitis: What is pink eye?
Kellogg Eye Center: Michigan Medicine.Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (hayfever).
MedlinePlus.Hay fever.
Azari AA, Arabi A.Conjunctivitis: a systematic review.J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2020;15(3):372-395. doi:10.18502/jovr.v15i3.7456
Villegas BV, Benitez-Del-Castillo JM.Current knowledge in allergic conjunctivitis.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2021;51(1):45-54. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2020.11456
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Giant papillary conjunctivitis.
College of Optometrists.Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Allergic conjunctivitis Information.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Conjunctivitis (pink eye) for clinicians.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.
John Hopkins Medicine.Allergic conjunctivitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Conjunctivitis treatment.
Chang KL, Guarderas JC.Allergy testing: Common questions and answers.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):34-39.
The Charles T. Campbell Eye Microbiology Lab. UPMC Schools of Heath Science.Lab diagnostic testing: cytology.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Allergic conjunctivitis.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.
Kim M, Lee Y, Mehra D, Sabater AL, Galor A.Dry eye: why artificial tears are not always the answer.BMJ Open Ophthalmol. 2021;6(1):e000697. doi:10.1136/bmjophth-2020-000697
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Redness-relieving eye drops.
Ben-Eli H, Solomon A.Topical antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, and dual-action agents in ocular allergy: current trends.Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018;18(5):411-416. doi:10.1097/ACI.0000000000000473
Hossenbaccus L, Linton S, Garvey S, Ellis AK.Towards definitive management of allergic rhinitis: best use of new and established therapies.Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020;16:39. Published 2020 May 27. doi:10.1186/s13223-020-00436-y
Castillo M, Scott NW, Mustafa MZ, Mustafa MS, Azuara-Blanco A.Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilisers for treating seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(6):CD009566. Published 2015 Jun 1. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009566.pub2
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Allergy shots (immunotherapy).
Harvard Health.Warning signs of a serious eye problem.
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