Allergic Conjunctivitis Treatment:

• If you use contact lenses: in general, do not wear lenses until symptoms have gone, and for 24 hours after the last dose of any eye drop or ointment. However, your doctor or optometrist will advise if you can wear lenses with certain types of eye drops.

• Try not to rub your eyes as this can cause more inflammation.

• Bathing the eyes with a flannel soaked in cold water may ease symptoms.

• Avoid the cause of the allergy, if possible. For example, if you have seasonal conjunctivitis, then during the hay fever season try staying indoors as much as possible, closing windows, wearing 'wrap around' sunglasses when out, etc.

• No other treatment may be needed if symptoms are mild.

• Eye drops that reduce the allergic reaction are often prescribed. Two main classes of eye drops are used - antihistamine eye drops and 'mast cell stabiliser' eye drops. (Mast cells and histamine are both involved in the allergic reaction. The eye drops counter the actions of histamine or mast cell destabilisation which results in histamine release.) There are various types and brands in each class of eye drops. The eye drops usually work well. You need to use the drops regularly to keep symptoms away until the cause of the allergy goes. Some people find one product works better than another. Therefore, if the first does not work so well, a switch to another may help. If your eyelids are very swollen, it may take several days for the drops to fully ease symptoms.

• Antihistamine tablets. You can take these to ease the general symptoms of hay fever. They may ease eye symptoms but they tend not to work as well as eye drops to ease the eye symptoms. Side effects (mainly drowsiness) are a problem for some people who take antihistamine tablets.

• Steroid eye drops are rarely needed or used. Steroids are good at reducing inflammation. However, they should only be used if other treatments fail. They are normally only used under the supervision of an eye specialist as infection and other causes of conjunctivitis need to be definitely ruled out. (Steroids can make some other eye conditions worse.)

• Steroid tablets are occasionally used for 3-5 days when symptoms are severe. They work well but regular or longer courses are not advised due to the problem of possible side effects with long-term use.