Pollen, dust, pet dander and allergens such as cigarette smoke may cause symptoms of an allergic reaction such as swelling around the eyes. You may also experience sinus symptoms as well. If you have a long history of allergies, you may know your triggers, and this will help you take steps to prevent a severe reaction. However, if you do not know your triggers, recognizing your symptoms will help you identify a problem quickly and seek necessary treatment.
Additional Symptoms
Allergies may cause more symptoms than swelling around your eyes. You may have eye-related symptoms such as watery eyes, itching and redness. In some cases, you may also have a stringy discharge from your eyes. As well, allergies may involve the sinuses, and you could have symptoms such as congestion, runny nose and sneezing. Sinus involvement may also result in headaches, sore throat, cough and earaches.
Puffy-eye Treatment
Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter eye drop to help your puffy eyelids and any other eye symptoms related to allergies. Severe symptoms may require prescription-strength drops. An oral antihistamine or other allergy treatment may also help your eye symptoms, and these medications come in over-the-counter and prescription-strength as well. Your doctor will help you determine the appropriate medication and the necessary dosage.
Allergy Treatment
In addition to helping your eyes, oral allergy medications — both over-the-counter and prescription strength — will help sinus-related allergy symptoms. If you have known allergies to allergens such as pollen or pet dander, your doctor may recommend that you take the medication before you have symptoms, and she may recommend taking the medication shortly after exposure to the allergen. In the case of seasonal allergies, you may need to take allergy medications during the spring and fall, prime seasons for allergy sufferers to experience symptoms.
Considerations
If your symptoms do not improve, inform your doctor. You may need a stronger medication, or your doctor may need to re-examine you to determine whether another condition is causing your symptoms. Eye conditions such as bacterial or viral eye infections, also known as pink eye, may cause similar symptoms, and you may need a medication to treat the source of the infection.
