Offending allergens in the air can cause inflammation of your eyes leading to itching, redness, tearing and swollen lids. Unfortunately antihistamine pills tend to dry your eyes out, so they should be avoided. If your doctor suspects ocular allergies may be causing some of your symptoms, they may suggest allergy testing if you have never had it done before. We will do skin testing of 60 common allergens specific to Southern California. A painless pinprick will be applied to both forearms . After 10 minutes we will evaluate the results. This will give us important information, specifically what you are allergic to and what prescription eyedrops will be most effective in treating you. Often times avoidance measures will also be recommended based upon the results. For instance, if you are allergic to dust mites, we will suggest a plastic cover to place over your pillow beneath your pillow.
