Bridget: Hi guys, Dr. Bridget Anderson here, eye health expert and founder of bridgettheeyedoctor.com.
Today I'm going to tell you all five ways you can help relieve your itchy eyes, and
if you watch until the end of the video, I'll tell you my favorite over-the-counter allergy
eye drops, okay?
Bridget: So let's get started, my five ways for relieving
itchy eyes.
Number one, go ahead and minimize the allergen.
What do I mean by this?
A lot of times, itchy eyes are caused by some type of exposure to an allergen.
This can be dust, animals, lotions, perfumes, makeup, pollens.
All sorts of things can cause itchy eyes, so if you can find out what's causing your
itchy eyes in the first place and minimize your exposure to it, it'll take you a long
way in preventing and stopping your eyes from itching in the first place, okay?
Number two, I recommend sometimes taking an oral anti-allergy medication.
This is over-the-counter, so these are your Claritin, your Zyrtec, your Allegra.
Sometimes these can cause a little bit of eye dryness, so just be aware of that.
Another option if you've got really itchy eyes is to take Benadryl.
Be warned, though, it can definitely make you sleepy, so it's probably not a good long-term
option, but if you're in a pinch it can definitely help you out.
Bridget: Number three, I recommend a cold compress.
It's as simple as an ice pack on the eyes for 10 minutes.
So that can help a lot with the itching, the irritation, kind of calm everything down on
the eyes.
Another variation of this is artificial tears in the fridge.
So grab one of my favorite over-the-counter artificial tears.
This is Blink, Systane, or Refresh.
Pop them in the fridge and when your eyes are itching, take them out.
Put up to one drop three, four times a day in your eyes.
It can really help with that itchiness.
Number four, if you're a contact lens wearer, I sometimes recommend taking a break from
your contacts.
So go ahead, take the contacts out, rock some glasses for a few days until the itchiness
subsides.
Sometimes the contacts themselves can be the cause of the itchiness, and sometimes they
just make the itchiness worse, so taking a break can be really helpful, as well.
Bridget: Number five, giving your eyelids a good cleaning.
This is really something simple that can help a lot with the itching.
So in the evenings, I recommend washing your eyelids.
You can do this with some over-the-counter options, like OCuSOFT or Cliradex.
These come in foam options and little towelette options, so you can get right where the eyelashes
are, get them nice and clean, get rid of any allergens that could be causing you problems.
They are safe if they do get in your eyes a little bit.
Another alternative to this that's kind of a DIY option is doing diluted baby shampoo.
For some people, it doesn't work as well as the OCuSOFT or the Cliradex, but it's an option
if you have it on hand.
Bridget: All right, guys, you made it to the end of my video.
You listened to my five tips for reliving itchy eyes, and now it's time for my favorite
over-the-counter allergy eye drops, okay?
They're both great, both safe to use year-round.
They're both going to be one drop twice a day.
If you wear contacts, I do recommend taking your contacts out to put them in, and then
wait about five minutes after the drop to put your contacts back in.
Their names are Zaditor or Alaway.
That's right, both over-the-counter, both great, both safe to use year-round if you
need to.
Sometimes I'll even recommend for patients, if you know that certain seasons like the
spring or the fall are really bad for your allergies, actually starting the drops a couple
weeks before that season starts to try and prevent the itchiness in the first place.
Bridget: All right, guys, thanks for watching my video on how to relieve itchy eyes.
If you liked the video, hit the like button below.
Be sure to show your friends and family, and hit the subscribe link, as well.
Thanks for watching.
I'll see you guys in the next video.