Dry Eyes vs. Eye Allergies: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

Sometimes when your eyes are red and irritated, it's hard to know whether you're suffering from allergies or dry eyes. Fortunately, treatments for both are fairly simple.

Identifying Allergies

• Allergies can turn your eyes red and watery. They often come with itching and other allergy symptoms such as a runny nose or even hives. Allergies can come from a wide variety of causes such as animals, mold, dust or pollen.

Identifying Dry Eyes

• Unlike allergies, dry eyes shouldn't itch or accompany hives and a runny nose. They may feel scratchy, like you have dirt in them. Dry eyes are often an effect of exhaustion or even a change in weather.

Treating Allergies

• There are quite a range of treatments for allergies. You can take over-the-counter medication such as Benadryl or use anti-itch eye drops. For more serious fixes, see a doctor about prescription medication or even allergy shots.

Treating Dry Eyes

• Dry eyes can be relieved with over-the-counter eye drops found at your local drug store. Also, try getting more sleep. Remember not to use eye drops every day for a long period of time. Eyes can become dependent on the medicine, causing more dryness when the drops are discontinued.

If Dryness Persists

• If you don't have allergies---and sleep and eye drops don't help---visit a doctor. You may have a more serious issue such as a scratched eye or Dry Eye Syndrome.