What the Pollen “Vortex” is Actually Doing to Your Vision

It seems that Vortex is the new buzzword for the 2014 allergy season, and thus it is aptly used to describe the monstrous wave of pollen that is hitting the world as temperatures creep higher and winter becomes a thing of the past. As newscasters and meteorologists across America are explaining, because this past winter was so long and harsh – everything is now starting to bloom all at once (rather than at the gradual pace that happens every other year). The sudden blooming of every tree, bush and plant is the leading force behind the exponential influx of pollen that’s driving your sinuses crazy.

It is now down to a science for many people to check the news to find out what days will be good and what days will be bad, based off of which types of pollen are high or low. Many people even started visiting their allergists weeks ago to begin their spring allergy treatments.

Most of us know from experience that when April creeps around, Mother Nature decides to torture our eyes and sinuses. But what really happens when you are suffering from springtime allergies?

When an allergen comes into contact with your conjunctiva (the mucous membrane on your eyes), your body sends out an immune response that produces antibodies to fight off the perceived invader. Histamine, one of the chemicals that are triggered by your immune system, is the culprit for bringing on the allergic symptoms. These symptoms come in the form of itchy, burning and teary eyes that can also make your eyes red and puffy.

Histamine also causes blood vessels to swell and become porous, allowing fluid to pour into the tissue. Runny noses are caused when this fluid leaks into your nasal passages. The buildup of fluid and mucous in the sinuses is what causes sinus pressure.

Did you know that there are two sinus cavities located behind your forehead, behind each cheekbone, behind each eye and within the bones behind each of your eyes?  That’s a lot of places to build up sinus pressure. The upside of sinus pressure is that there are many non-medicinal treatments to help relieve the pressure.

Many people are able to combat their springtime allergies with over-the-counter medicines, regular visits to the allergist, or even just by dealing with their symptoms. If you are worried about how your vision might react to springtime allergies, make sure to speak to the professionals at Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley. They can help you come up with a plan to battle the Pollen Vortex based off of your eyes and give you more information on how allergies affect them.