Hi
Last July I went to Paris, the alps and then Portofino. When I arrived in Paris I soon got severe eye allergies. They were all red and blown up, itchy and remained that way through out my trip. I know I am allergic to certain tress growing and but nothing else that sticks out. Anyone else have this? I am not allergic to the feather pillows or any bedding except some dust mites. I am returning to[Paris next weeks and can't look like this for work.
Thank you
It hasn't happened to me in France yet but I once arrived in Italy in May and my eyes, already a bit dry and tired from the flight blew up and swelled and were miserable from the pollens. I am pretty sensitive to pollens in spring and fall. The only thing that works for me when that happens are the irritation drops that contain steroids. These are prescription and I used to be able to get them with my US health insurance for this occasional issue; they are now incredibly expensive -- hundreds of dollars -- because US pharma has randomly decided to profiteer often with standard old but necessary meds and insurance companies often won't cover particular drugs. The OTC allergy drops may help but for me at least initially the mild steroid drops are what knocked it down.
I don't know if French pharmacists have similar meds and can give them without prescription but it is worth a try. If not they can refer you to a physician.
When my eyes get itchy due to allergies, I use a generic version of zaditor eye drops. Antihistamine eye drops which are available OTC in stores such as Walmart, Target and the major drug chains such as Walgreens, CVS etc. Once a day generally works well for me.
Probably some specific pollen. It might be being aggravated by air pollution as well - I know my hay fever is paradoxically worse in central London than out in the country and I suspect that is the cause.
Maybe the chestnut trees and pollution. July, if it’s warm, is a pretty polluted month with a cloud like LA.
If I'm reading your comment correctly, you're returning to Paris next week. Because of all the flowering stuff now, newspapers are paying a lot of attention to pollen levels which are currently very high and warning us accordingly.. See what you can get before you leave the US. Pharmacies here should also be of help.
Thank you everyone. I live in la and though i have eye allergies here it’s nothing like what I experienced in France last summer. It must be due to pollen. I’ll have my Allegist get me prepared.
Thank you everyone. I live in la and though i have eye allergies here it’s nothing like what I experienced in France last summer. It must be due to pollen. I’ll have my Allegist get me prepared.
I am in Paris now and am using OTC allergy drops and taking claritin and that keeps it under control; but I am carrying my precious prescription drops just in case.
In the papers in the UK today we were told the pollen bomb of birch in Paris warning of exceptionally high level of that tree.
The pollen bombs that explode crack open and the seed pods fall out.
An antihistamine might help.
