Is it allergies?
Or is it dry eyes?
Eye allergies are responses to foreign substances like pollens, pet hair, dust, smoke, etc. Your eye allergies may be seasonal, perennial (i.e., all year long), or simply caused by contact (e.g., touching your eyes after petting a cat).
Allergies and dry eye can present similar symptoms, and the difference between the two may be hard to tell. Symptoms may include:
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Burning eyes
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Itching
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Watery eyes
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Foreign body sensation
The good news is that with proper care and instructions from your eye health professional, you may find relief of both dry eye and allergy symptoms.
Managing allergies
In general, avoiding allergens which may trigger the initial response is a good strategy to prevent allergies! However, sometimes it may prove to be easier said than done. Some examples to reduce your allergy exposure and contact include staying indoors when the pollen level is high, wearing sunglasses, and washing your face after exposure to allergens.
Your doctor may recommend some lubricating eye drops and lid hygiene treatments as a first line of defence. They may also recommend oral medications (antihistamines/mast cell stabilizers) and oral decongestants, which may prove to be effective in allergy relief. But these may lead to unwanted dryness of your eyes.
Nature's ingenuity to the rescue
Leveraging the intuition of nature, you can protect your eyes against allergens, reduce dehydration and irritation, and keep your tears from evaporating excessively.
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Ectoine and Sodium Hyaluronate are both natural substances that can help you find relief from both allergies and dry eyes.
Ectoine: nature's answer to extreme environments
There are places on our earth that are so extreme, that life just cannot seem to exist. Surprisingly, some microorganisms, called extremophiles, found their means of survival.
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Among many, extremophiles "shield" themselves by producing extremolytes like Ectoine.
Watch HYLO-DUAL® in action!
The "shield"
Ectoine has a strong affinity for water. Ectoine and water will tightly grab onto each other and form a physiologic barrier.
This ectoine-water “shield” protects cell membranes from contact with allergenic substances and against inflammatory responses to environmental stress (e.g., dehydration by hyperosmolar tears, UV radiation, airborne allergens)
When you thought there couldn't be more benefits
Additionally, Ectoine helps protect against the excessive evaporation of tears. Ectoine has a stabilizing effect on the lipid phase (oily layer) of the tear film.
The lipid layer is the outermost layer of our tears. Its function is to reduce the tears from evaporating. Ectoine helps increase its elasticity, causing it to spread evenly over the eye surface and protects against the excessive evaporation of tears.
The all round drop for both dry eyes and allergy relief
– a powerful combination
HYLO-DUAL® is an all-round drop that combines the power of Sodium Hyaluronate and Ectoine.
High-quality sodium hyaluronate provides long-lasting dry eye relief, while ectoine forms a stable “shield” on the eye surface to relieve itching and burning caused by inflammation and allergies.
Tips and Tricks
Cleaning eyelids and lashes can help reduce allergens around the eye area
Ask your doctor about CALMO® Lid Care! Soap-free, paraben-free, and fragrance-free lid care for daily hygiene of the lashes and eyelids.
Don’t forget NACLINO™ Lid Wipes. Saline-only, sterile wipes keeping eyelids and lashes cleans for delicate skin around the eyes!