This post is part of a program with VISINE and The Motherhood, who sent me products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own.
Spring is my favorite time of year.
The dreary winter weather leaves and we can head outside. To the beach. To the porch to read a book. And of course to the soccer fields if you are my family. The windows are open, I can live in sundresses… it’s a happy time of year.
Well, except for all the pollen. The pollen counts here in eastern North Carolina have been ridiculously high this year. You go outside and everything is covered in yellow. It’s not even just a light dusting this year, it’s a thick coating.
So if you suffer from allergies, going outside might make you feel like you want to scratch out your eyes from all that pollen. It got so bad that I had to resort to wearing my glasses instead of my contacts because my eyes were so irritated.
An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from allergies (1 in 5 Americans)1
Eye allergies(what I call that feeling of wanting to scratch out my eyes) happen when airborne allergens and other particles land directly on the surface of the eye, causing irritation and redness; the body reacts to the substance by flooding the eyes with tears and mucus.
Symptoms of eye allergies may include:
- Itching
- Redness
- Tearing
- Swelling and puffiness of the eyelids
- “Foreign body sensation”
- Burning sensation
- Watery eyes
VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief
You can use VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops to temporarily relieve itchy, red eyes due to pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander. These eye drops are clinically proven effective for allergy relief and combine an antihistamine with a redness reliever to temporarily relieve eye itchiness and redness, helping eyes get back to normal. Use one or two drops of VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops throughout the day as needed to treat symptoms, up to four times a day.
If you are a contact lens wearer like me, you should remove them, then add VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops. Wait for at least 15 minutes, and then place contacts back into the eyes. Do not use VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops while wearing contact lenses. That 15 minute wait time will allow the eye drops to be absorbed into the eyes before the contacts are put back in. If your eyes are irritated or infected, do not put your contacts back in.
VISINE® ALLERGY TIPS
INDOORS:
- Wash linens and clothes regularly
- Keep windows shut to keep out pollen and other outdoor allergens
- Vacuum and dust often to reduce indoor allergens, such as dust and pet dander
- Run the air conditioner or air filter to sift out allergens. Make sure to keep those air filters clean and replace them regularly
- Put allergy proof covers on pillows, mattresses and comforters to ward off dust mites
OUTDOORS:
- Check the pollen count before going outside each day – pollen counts tend to be highest 5 – 10AM
- Shower after being outdoors to remove allergens that may have stuck to you. Use a sterile saline eye wash to flush allergens out of your eyes
- Do not hang laundry to dry outdoors because allergens can stick to the clothes
- Glasses and sunglasses act as a barrier or shield to minimize allergens from sticking to your eyes
- If you prefer to wear contact lenses, choose a daily disposable lens, which can minimize accumulation of allergens as well.
For more allergy season tips and tricks, visit http://www.visine.com/understanding-eye-allergies/histamines
Come to the #EyesonVISINE party, 5/8 at noon ET, to win a $25 gc & useful allergy relief items! http://twtvite.com/visine
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?
1 “CDC Fast Facts A-Z,” Vital Health Statistics, 2003
I have awful seasonal allergies and the WORST part is the itchy eyes. Thank god for eye drops!!
I’ve been blessed to not have allergies but the rest of my family was not so fortunate. I need to buy them some eye drops for their watery eyes.
Oh, my allergies are already raging!
I am so close to going out and grabbing some eye drops! I swear- the pollen will just NOT quit!
I had a random eye allergy attack one day and it was AWFUL! I swelled up terribly and needed this!
Pollen is the worst! I love the spring, but my poor eyes and lungs…ugh. I keep the eye drops handy at all times.
I want to claw out my eyes every day! It’s crazy. I wear contacts so I can’t use most drops, but I should try them at night and before I put them in!
Sometimes the air in FL is awful! Red tide affects my husband a lot and we always have Visine around!
I do have allergies but they don’t affect my eyes as much. Or least the allergy meds that I take keep all of that from happening.
I have awful seasonal allergies and my eyes get so itchy! I’m going to have to pick this up next time I’m at CVS.
The pollen is ridiculous on the western side of NC, too. I stay inside almost all the time trying to avoid it.
It was good of you to write about this now before the summer allergy season is hot upon us. This product seems as if it will give a lot of people a great deal of relief.
I was having this problem the other day and couldn’t itch because I had eye make-up on. Everyone thought I was on the verge of tears!
I don’t. My six year old does. It’s a really rough time for him. And he just wants to be outside playing 🙁
A pollen coating sounds awful! Though I imagine the pleasant weather year-round makes up for it. I’m glad Visine works to help with your eyes!!
That sounds really effective for pollen in the air. Now you can enjoy the outdoors
I do have allergies and this years sees to be really bad. I’m hoping it gets better quickly!
I had to giggle at your post title – you’re right, no one should want to scratch their own eyes out! I am very lucky that I don’t suffer from any seasonal allergies, but even I still get a little itchy in certain climates that don’t have a lot of humidity and end up using Visine!
I suffer from seasonal allegeries. I always keep the visine on hand!
My allergies have been terrible this spring! I really need to try Visine. My eyes are killing me!
I get the worst hay fever in the spring and summer! Itchy eyes are the worst.
The pollen has been awful here. I had to buy allergy eye drops when it got real bad.
Allergies are horrible, especially the seasonal ones. I hate the itching and swelling and everything!
We all suffered here in the South until we discovered essential oils. Now we’re symptom-free. Now sure I want to know what “Foreign Body Sensation” is. LOL. Glad you found a solution that works for you.
So needed this this last week. Allergies were a problem!
Everyone in my family is suffering BAD from allergies! I need to get some Visine!
my father just asked if we had some. I realize i should keep some on hand now.
Great for the summer sport season. This is perfect for keeping all safe and comfortable.