IF you’re one of the ten million Brits that suffers from hay fever, you’ll be well acquainted with how agonising it can be for your peepers.
Pollen – a fine powder released from grass and plants – can get many of our eyes itching, on top of eliciting endless sneezes and nose drips.
GettyPollen can wreak havoc on people’s eyes, making them sore and swollen[/caption]
AmazonThe NEWGO Cooling Eye Mask for Puffy Eyes has had hay fever sufferers raving[/caption]
It’s our body’s natural response to try and wash pollen out, which is why some peoples’ eyes start streaming when they step outside, according to Moorfields Eye Hospital.
“They can also become red, itchy, and sticky as the immune system reacts,” it continued.
With pollen counts set to soar this week, especially in southern parts of the UK, many might be dreading the agony that awaits.
Let us put you onto a secret that has got Amazon shoppers raving.
If hay fever has your eyes itchy and ablaze, why not give the NEWGO Cooling Eye Mask for Puffy Eyes a go, which you can nab on Amazon for just £9.50.
It’s a reusable eye mask filled with gel beads, which you can pop in the fridge or freezer and apply to ease sore and puffy eyes, as well as headaches and sinus pain.
One reviewer said it “works very well on itchy, sore, eczema and hay fever eyes”, though she noted it doesn’t stay frozen for long.
Another wrote: “We keep ours in the fridge and it stays nice and clean in the protective and sealed bag provided, it offers cool and refreshing relief when needed for sore and tired eyes.”
They described it as a “Godsend during hay fever season to soothe the itching and burning”.
“Initially bought it for myself but this year my teenage boys were affected quite badly with hay fever and they would use it every chance they got and their eyes would look and feel so much better afterwards,” the reviewer continued.
A third user said: “It can be refrigerated and put in the freezer offering different strengths of cooling. This helped my hay fever so much this year… even brought a second one!”
You might be popping this in your Amazon cart once you see the pollen forecast for the nest few days.
Though pollen levels are expected to remain low in most of Scotland, Wales, the West Midlands, the South East and the South West are are expected to weather ‘very high’ pollen counts until Friday.
Hayfever symptoms
HAY fever is a common allergic condition. It affects up to 1 in 5 people at some point in their life.
You’ll experience hay fever symptoms if you have an allergic reaction to pollen.
The symptoms of hay fever include:
frequent sneezing
runny or blocked nose
itchy, red or watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
cough, caused by postnasal drip (mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose)
Less commonly, you may also experience:
the loss of your sense of smell (anosmia)
facial pain (caused by blocked sinuses)
headaches
earache
tiredness and fatigue
If you have asthma, your asthma symptoms may get worse when you have hay fever.
Source: NHS
Putting a cold compress on your peepers isn’t the only way to ease your hay fever symptoms.
Firstly, you can apply a balm to your nostrils and around your eyes to trap pollen particles.
Then try showering and changing your clothes after being outdoors, as pollen gets everywhere, sticking to clothes and affecting you long after you’ve retreated inside.
You can give wraparound sunglasses a go, to block out pollen particles.
It’s also important to regularly wash your hands when out and about to remove pollen and avoid rubbing it further into your eyes or nose.
And avoid drying your laundry outside.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to create an on-the-go first aid kit and carry it with you in case symptoms strike.
For further tips on preventing hay fever, see the NHS website.
Pollen levels are expected to be ‘very high’ in certain parts of the country this week