Not a doctor, but just some ideas if you're not already doing these (remember everyone can react differently to things so in the case of medicines read the contraindications and possible side effects and be aware before you choose to take or not):
- If you don't already, then drink plenty of water, get good sleep and do every-other-day small-bore exercise (like Tabata, or 4 minute HIT). Wonderful how much magic a bit of hydration, rest and exercise can do for overall health, which then affects and makes one more resilient to everything.
- Try an antihistamine. I find fexofenadine (Allegra) 180mg great in pollen-crazed spring. It is 2nd/3rd gen so zero sleepiness.
- Try a baby aspirin (100mg) before bed. Takes the edge of any chronic inflammation. Get a good brand like Bayer, they seem to be more effective.
- I find fluorometholone the go-to for short term eye itchiness. Don't want to use it too much because it lowers eye immunity increasing infection risk, but waaay more effective IMO than dexamethasone. Either 1% (0.1mg/ml) or 0.02mg/ml both good.
- See an opthamologist, not an optician--tho, I'm pretty sure that's what you already meant!
- Try 'alternative medicine' practitioners, like: Chinese medicine doctors, who prescribe herbs and maybe meridian point treatments; or Ayurvedic Indian medicine doctors. If you're not from their originating cultures, try to find some in an area where lots of people from that culture live and go to one those folks trust. They can take a wholistic/systemic view of what's going on with you, and try to address imbalances, that may manifest as localized symptoms--instead of a reductive view that just focuses on a small area, and biases toward targeting symptoms (to make an overly glib distinction)--but both approaches very much have their place, needless to say.
- Do some eye exercises, like focusing on points at different distances.
- Reduce the eye strain. Don't be spending all night in bed on the phone or device, or be 'pushing through' when your eyes are tired.
- Reduce alcohol.
- Vet all medications and supplements you're already taking, as well as foods, and discover if there are any triggers. How you might go about that potentially mammoth task tho, I leave as an exercise of the reader! Everyone can find their own way tho, of that I'm sure.
- Vet all personal care, health and beauty products, including things as basic as makeup, shampoo, moisturizer and toothpaste. Try going on a 'gunk fast' with zero such products applied (not just to the face, as they can absorb from any part of the body) for a few days or even (!!) a week. See if any effect. Very likely could be something in there. Even a brand of face mask could contains some sort of surface coating that's allergenic.
- If you do more of the household chores (and therefore exposed to more chemicals) try to share that around more and take turns.
- If you work in a place that involves chemicals or particular sorts of air-conditioning or filtration...consider if that could be an issue.
- Consider an environmental cause, even a natural one like trees on your common commute paths, or a local industrial plant.
- If you smoke, or vape...take a break and see if that helps.
- Try to avoid bringing the hands to the face, and rubbing the eyes.
- If there's a beard in the equation, try shaving it. May be the harborer of allergens, sadly.
- Buy a water filter, and an air filter, see if they help.
Thank you so much for taking the time to type all this out, its very kind of you. Sleep is definitely an issue at the moment - we have a newborn and catching up is difficult but I think the fatigue has contributed to this problem. And re opthalmologists, no she's just seen opticians, although theyve been very good it may be time to move to an opthalmologist or an eye doctor.
Comments
Not a doctor, but just some ideas if you're not already doing these (remember everyone can react differently to things so in the case of medicines read the contraindications and possible side effects and be aware before you choose to take or not):
- If you don't already, then drink plenty of water, get good sleep and do every-other-day small-bore exercise (like Tabata, or 4 minute HIT). Wonderful how much magic a bit of hydration, rest and exercise can do for overall health, which then affects and makes one more resilient to everything.
- Try an antihistamine. I find fexofenadine (Allegra) 180mg great in pollen-crazed spring. It is 2nd/3rd gen so zero sleepiness.
- Try a baby aspirin (100mg) before bed. Takes the edge of any chronic inflammation. Get a good brand like Bayer, they seem to be more effective.
- I find fluorometholone the go-to for short term eye itchiness. Don't want to use it too much because it lowers eye immunity increasing infection risk, but waaay more effective IMO than dexamethasone. Either 1% (0.1mg/ml) or 0.02mg/ml both good.
- See an opthamologist, not an optician--tho, I'm pretty sure that's what you already meant!
- Try 'alternative medicine' practitioners, like: Chinese medicine doctors, who prescribe herbs and maybe meridian point treatments; or Ayurvedic Indian medicine doctors. If you're not from their originating cultures, try to find some in an area where lots of people from that culture live and go to one those folks trust. They can take a wholistic/systemic view of what's going on with you, and try to address imbalances, that may manifest as localized symptoms--instead of a reductive view that just focuses on a small area, and biases toward targeting symptoms (to make an overly glib distinction)--but both approaches very much have their place, needless to say.
- Do some eye exercises, like focusing on points at different distances.
- Reduce the eye strain. Don't be spending all night in bed on the phone or device, or be 'pushing through' when your eyes are tired.
- Reduce alcohol.
- Vet all medications and supplements you're already taking, as well as foods, and discover if there are any triggers. How you might go about that potentially mammoth task tho, I leave as an exercise of the reader! Everyone can find their own way tho, of that I'm sure.
- Vet all personal care, health and beauty products, including things as basic as makeup, shampoo, moisturizer and toothpaste. Try going on a 'gunk fast' with zero such products applied (not just to the face, as they can absorb from any part of the body) for a few days or even (!!) a week. See if any effect. Very likely could be something in there. Even a brand of face mask could contains some sort of surface coating that's allergenic.
- If you do more of the household chores (and therefore exposed to more chemicals) try to share that around more and take turns.
- If you work in a place that involves chemicals or particular sorts of air-conditioning or filtration...consider if that could be an issue.
- Consider an environmental cause, even a natural one like trees on your common commute paths, or a local industrial plant.
- If you smoke, or vape...take a break and see if that helps.
- Try to avoid bringing the hands to the face, and rubbing the eyes.
- If there's a beard in the equation, try shaving it. May be the harborer of allergens, sadly.
- Buy a water filter, and an air filter, see if they help.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for taking the time to type all this out, its very kind of you. Sleep is definitely an issue at the moment - we have a newborn and catching up is difficult but I think the fatigue has contributed to this problem. And re opthalmologists, no she's just seen opticians, although theyve been very good it may be time to move to an opthalmologist or an eye doctor.