Warning for hayfever sufferers as a 5-day ‘pollen bomb’ could trigger 3 nasty infections

From stuffing your nose to tickling your throat and making your head fuzzy, pollen allergies can manifest themselves in many different parts of the body.

Itchy, red and watery eyes are an affliction that most hay fever sufferers know all too well.

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But the agony of hay fever may not end there for some.

A GP has warned that the ongoing ‘pollen bomb’ circulating across the UK could trigger three types of nasty eye infections in people suffering from hayfever.

GP, Dr. Nisa Aslam advisor to the www.goldeneyecare.co.uk treatment of eye infections, said it could increase the risk of allergic eye diseases and eye infections such as conjunctivitis, stye and blepharitis, bringing unexpected suffering to many.

She explained that hay fever is caused by the immune system’s reaction to pollen, which triggers the release of histamine.

This, in turn, will cause unpleasant symptoms of hay fever to manifest, such as a runny, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and red, itchy eyes.

Dr. Aslam said your eyes can be especially sensitive to allergens like pollen, which causes hay fever.

“When pollen invades the eyes, they become itchy, watery, swollen and red,” she explained.

“And if we rub our eyes – which is very tempting when they itch – they become susceptible to infections such as styes, conjunctivitis or blepharitis.”

A stye is a small, painful lump that appears on the eyelid, which can make the sensitive skin around the eye red and swollen.

Conjunctivitis – also known as red or pink eye – can be caused by allergies and infections, leaving the eyes red, with a burning and gritty sensation, with pus that sticks to the eyelashes.

Finally, blepharitis can cause swollen and itchy eyelids, with flakes and crusts clogging the eyelash roots.

“These eye conditions require immediate treatment to prevent them from getting worse,” said Dr.

She recommended GoldenEye Eye ointment for all three eye conditions, as it contains antiseptics to help stop bacteria from growing and multiplying, or Golden Eye Drops, which also have antifungal properties.

For acute bacterial conjunctivitis, she recommended GoldenEye antibiotic eye ointment.

The NHS recommends treating these eye conditions at home, relieving your eyes with warm cloths and painkillers and getting advice from a pharmacist if they don’t go away within a few days.

Dr Aslam also shared some tips for looking after your eyes during hayfever season to prevent infections in the first place.

“Wash your eyes well every night to get rid of any pollen left in your eyes.

“Try to keep windows, including those in your car, closed to keep out pollen, and for better eye protection, wear sunglasses when pollen counts are high.

“Keep an eye on the Met Office pollen forecast. Also avoid leaving home when pollen counts are at their highest – mid-morning or early evening.”

The Met Office has been issuing warnings about rising pollen counts, with “very high” levels expected to continue until the end of this week across most of the UK.

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More intense pollen seasons

Dr Aslam said: “Hay fever is becoming increasingly common, with 49 per cent of people suffering from hay fever symptoms.

“The pollen season is lengthening, which is thought to be caused by climate change.

“Atmospheric change affects pollen release and a study has shown that the start of the pollen season is occurring 10 to 40 days earlier and with greater intensity.

“Northern countries such as the UK are expected to have the worst outcomes due to greater temperature increases.”

And contrary to what you might imagine, hay fever symptoms can be worse in the city than in the countryside.

According to the GP: “Tree pollen may be worse in cities due to increased traffic and urbanization and research has also found that outdoor air pollution increases the allergic strength of tree pollen as a result of changing the structure of trees. pollen proteins.”