Red, itchy, watery eyes—classic allergy symptoms, right? Not always. Many patients come to Washington Eye Doctors in Washington, DC, Chase, MD, & Arlington VA convinced they have seasonal allergies, only to discover they’re suffering from dry eye disease, or even both.
The Allergy Connection
Allergies cause your eyes to release histamines, leading to inflammation, itching, and increased tearing. However, if your tear film is already compromised due to dry eye, your eyes can’t flush out allergens effectively.
Dry eye symptoms—like burning, stinging, and tearing—can mimic allergies. And in many cases, they exacerbate each other.
As Dr. Rosenblatt puts it, “It’s a chicken and egg. Dryness makes you more sensitive to allergens, and allergens make your eyes drier.”
Treating Both Together
If allergy drops aren’t helping—or seem to make your eyes feel worse—it could be because dry eye is the missing link. Treating one without addressing the other often leads to incomplete relief.
At Washington Eye Doctors, we take a comprehensive approach to diagnose both conditions and design a care plan that soothes the inflammation while restoring the tear film.