Spring is the season when large amounts of cedar and cypress pollen are in the air. Many people likely suffer from symptoms such as itchy eyes, bloodshot eyes, and tearing. Most of these are caused by allergic conjunctivitis. The main symptoms include itching, redness, foreign body sensation, and lacrimation (tearing). Among these, what you need to be particularly careful about is “rubbing your eyes.” If you unconsciously rub your eyes due to intense itching, you may scratch your cornea or worsen the inflammation, which can conversely cause symptoms to persist longer.

In recent years, ICL has been gaining attention as an option for vision correction. It is a treatment in which a lens is placed inside the eye; because it does not touch the outside environment like contact lenses, pollen does not adhere to the lens, and it is also characterized by being less susceptible to the effects of eye dryness caused by wearing contact lenses. Therefore, a merit of ICL is that you can spend time relatively more comfortably than wearing contact lenses, even during the pollen season.

However, there are also precautions unique to the hay fever season. First, those who have a habit of rubbing their eyes may place a burden on their eyes after surgery. Furthermore, if there is strong inflammation in the eyes, it may affect the preoperative examinations or delay postoperative recovery. For this reason, when considering ICL, it is recommended to choose a period when symptoms are as stable as possible.

Measures that can be taken in daily life are also important. Use pollen protection glasses when going out, and thoroughly wash away pollen by washing your face or eyes after returning home. If symptoms are severe, itching and inflammation can be suppressed by using anti-allergic eye drops. Do not use eye drops based on your own judgment; use them while consulting with an ophthalmologist.

While ICL has the advantage of being less affected by pollen than contact lenses, on the other hand, consideration for the timing of surgery is necessary depending on the condition of the eyes. It is important to choose a vision correction method that suits you while managing hay fever effectively.

Distressing eye symptoms in spring can also be well-controlled with proper care. To live comfortably, let’s be conscious of the habit of taking care of our eyes on a daily basis.