Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

5 Hay Fever Hacks for keeping red, itchy eyes at bay

5 Hay Fever Hacks for keeping red, itchy eyes at bay

With Allergy Awareness Week (20th April – 25th April 2022) upon us, we asked vision experts from Essilor.co.uk for advice on how the UK’s 13 million hay fever sufferers can keep eyes feeling healthier this summer.

For the 25 per cent of British adults who suffer from hay fever, April and Allergy Awareness Week mark the start of a season of misery. Whilst friends and family are firing up the barbie and outdoor pizza ovens, people who experience hay fever symptoms are dodging the outdoors for fear of exacerbating their itchy, red, watery eyes.

According to Google Trends data searches relating to Hay Fever sore eyes have risen every year in the past 10 years – showing the growing issue and need for health advice.

Dr Andy Hepworth from Essilor.co.uk, explains: “Hay fever is a seasonal form of allergic rhinitis which affects one in four people in the UK. It is caused by an allergic reaction to pollen from grass, trees and weeds during the spring and summer months.

It’s an extremely common issue that affects the eyes, resulting in itchiness, irritation, watery eyes, and redness. (There are also people who are affected by perennial rhinitis who suffer from an allergic reaction to allergens such as dust and mould all year round – this advice can be applied to them too.)

“Itchy eyes occur due to irritation from pollen or another allergen landing on or near your eye. Once your eyes are itchy, they tend to become red due to an inflammatory response trying to fight off the irritant.

“Redness can also occur from rubbing your eyes, which will only increase the irritation. You may also experience watery eyes – this is the body’s way of trying to flush out the irritant, by producing excess tears.

“Swollen or puffiness is also another common and unwanted side effect in hay fever and allergy sufferers. This is because inflammation brings more fluid into the tissue areas affected.” 



How to ease eyes affected by Hay Fever

Wear wrap around glasses and a wide brim hat
The allergens that make our eyes itchy and sore are impossible to see – it’s therefore easy for them to play havoc with our eyes. Wrap around glasses or sunglasses are helpful at keeping pesky pollen from reaching the eyes. As particles are airborne these can limit the opportunity for pollen and irritants to reach the surface of the eye.

Add a barrier as a reminder not to rub or touch eyes
When pollen gets into the eyes, rubbing itchy eyes is a natural reflex, but it only gives temporary relief and can increase the inflammation and amount of pollen entering the eye from hands. Here again, wearing glasses can help to act as a barrier between our hands and eyes – acting as a reminder not to touch or rub your eyes.

Rinse and repeat
A cold compress will provide some welcome relief for eyes that are itchy and irritated. It will also help to reduce swelling. Just soak a face cloth or towel in cold water and leave it in the fridge to cool down. Then sit back and relax whilst it gets to work. Repeat this through the day to prevent eyes getting too sore. You could even pack wet cloths in a Tupperware to use throughout the day if out an about.

Wash more regularly – hands, hair, clothes, bedding
Pollen can get everywhere, so more frequent washing can help to prevent it reaching your peepers. You should also wash your face and hair at the end of the day too and keep your pyjamas in a drawer for when you go to bed. This will avoid them picking up any particles which could affect your eyes whilst you sleep.

Keep an eye on symptoms
If you are eyes are red, itchy, and painful for a long period of time then you really should visit your optician for a check-up. Conjunctivitis is a common eye condition that can be caused by an allergen such as pollen setting off a reaction that affects the conjunctiva of the eye. This is the clear, thin layer that covers the front surface of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids. The conjunctiva can become inflamed and irritated.

Dr Hepworth adds: “Whilst spring and summer is the ideal time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, it does bring with it short-term eye issues particularly for allergy sufferers that can cause considerable discomfort. Hopefully, these tips can provide some relief this hay fever season, allowing as many people as possible to enjoy the warmer, longer days. A final sensible point is to ensure whilst outdoors you afford your eyes protection from UV, by using glasses, sunglasses or UV protecting Contact Lenses.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
×