What Is the Fastest Relief for Itchy Eyes?

When your eyes get itchy, it can be uncomfortable, distracting, and downright annoying. Typically, we want instant relief, which usually comes from rubbing the eyes and eyelids. But that’s not going to cut it, and it’s hard on your eyes, especially your cornea. So, what can we do?
 

• Allergy Eye Drops: The first thing I would look to grab is an over-the-counter allergy eye drop. I recommend (in this order) Pataday Extra Strength, Lastacaft, Pataday Once Daily, and using as directed.

• Cold Compress: Applying a cold compress to the eyelids will help calm down the itching sensation and reduce additional swelling. You can use a specific mask like Optase Cooling Mask, or you can freeze a wet washcloth or wrap some ice cubes in a towel.

• Artificial Tears: These can help flush out the eyes and bring some relief for any additional symptoms of irritation or dryness. I recommend Optase Allegro for an artificial tear that works like an allergy eye drop. It helps bind the allergens instead of them contacting the eye. It helps with dryness as well, as certain allergy eye drops can dry the eyes out.

• Over-the-counter allergy medication: The effectiveness tends to vary person to person, but using a once daily oral allergy medication may help prevent itchy eyes as well. Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, Xyzal.

• Redness Relief: If there is any additional redness that needs to be treated quickly, I recommend Lumify, used once daily, and possibly twice if needed (but only use a second time if absolutely necessary). This will treat the redness, but not what is causing the redness.

• Remove Contact Lenses: Allergens will cling to your contacts, and no matter how much you soak and scrub them, the allergens will stay on your contacts, instead of allowing your tears to wash them away. Additionally, if you are a contact lens wearer, switching to a daily disposal contact lens will decrease your symptoms and virtually eliminate your contacts from being an additional culprit to your allergies and itchy eyes.
   

If you try all of this and it’s still not helping, come see your eye care provider and we can prescribe prescription strength medication, including steroid eye drops which can dramatically reduce the inflammation quickly and bring you faster relief from allergies!