Allergies Have Hit Our House. We Have #EyesonVISINE

A couple of weeks ago, one of my first messages of the day was from my oldest daughter. She was asking me if I was having problems with my allergies yet. Her allergies are kind of my barometer for when allergy season has hit. lol Once she gets started, the rest of us fall like dominoes. VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops, as always, to the rescue. My first question to her was, "Have you stocked up this year?" lol No, of course not.

Back in the day, when there weren't any over the counter options for allergy sufferers, I went to the doctor once a week for shots. My oldest daughter started dealing with allergies as a young teen and now my oldest son, a few years ago, started up with season allergies and mostly cat allergies. So far, my two other kids have been kept out of the allergy loop.

My biggest symptom with allergies is itchy, watery eyes. That wasn't an issue for me until I was an adult. Now, it can totally disable me. My eye allergies filter into sneezing and a runny nose and sinus issues. If I can keep my eyes under control, to start with, then the rest is usually...usually...safe.

Allergy is the fifth leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the third most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old. This was definitely true for me, and has proven to be the case for two of my kids.

Now, throw in Fred, who has allergies about as bad as my mom's and we're all a fun bunch to hang out with when allergies strike. Did you know eye allergies happen when airborne allergens and other particles land directly on the surface of the eye, causing irritation and redness; subsequently, the body reacts to the substance by flooding the eyes with tears and mucus. Delightful, right? VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief Eye Drops are clinically proven effective for eye allergy relief.

In case you're wondering about allergies, the most frequent airborne allergens include:

o Pollen
o Pet dander
o Grass
o Dust
o Weeds
o Mold

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. Contact lens wearers can use VISINE®-A® Eye Allergy Relief, but need to remove contact lenses before use and wait at least 15 minutes before reinserting contact lenses after using the drops

For more allergy season tips and tricks, visit http://www.visine.com/understanding-eye-allergies/histamines