Does Your Eyes Itch All Day Long?

Dust mite might be the reason!

Inflammation of the conjunctiva caused by an allergic reaction is very common in Hong Kong. If you have symptoms such as itchy eyes, swollen eyes, increased secretions, watery eyes, light sensitivity, and red eyes, you may have eye allergy. Eye allergy is also known as allergic conjunctivitis. When the eyes are stimulated by allergens, the mast cells of the immune system will react and release a large amount of histamine, causing eye inflammation, watering and redness.

Allergic conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis are closely interlinked with each other. Both will be stimulated by allergens, which will cause patients to experience nasal allergy symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and red eyes.

Perennial allergic conjunctivitis is mainly caused by allergies to dust mites and animal fur, and it may occur at any time. Sensitive eyes may cause corneal damage, infection, or even affect eye vision if treatment is delayed. The most effective treatment for eye allergy is to avoid contact with the allergen.

Dust mite cover


Dust mite cover is an effective method to reduce patients’ exposure to allergens.

Household dust mites mainly live in places such as mattresses, pillows, sheets, carpets, plush dolls and sofas, hence, using microfiber dust mite covers can help to reduce the exposure of patients to dust mites. The dust mite allergen (dust mite faeces) has a volume diameter of approx. 7 µm (0.007mm). In other words, the pinhole diameter of the material selected by MITE PROTEX is 5 µm (micron), which can effectively block dust mite allergens.

Another thing to note here is that not all dust mite covers are effective. It is always recommended to purchase anti-mite products that are clinically and scientifically proven. Dust mite beddings are expected to be cleaned once every 4 weeks.

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How do you know if you are allergic to dust mites?

You can perform a "skin prick test" to find out if you have allergic reactions to "dust mites" and "tropical mites". The skin prick test is to locate a small amount of allergen into the surface of the skin. If you are sensitive to the allergen, the test range will show signs of swelling and redness within 15-30 minutes. For desensitisation immunotherapy, sublingual desensitisation immunotherapy can only be carried out after a more comprehensive IgE allergy test, such as after Faber is performed.

Detail of skin prick test($500) Detail of Faber Test Detail of AILergy Test

Eye allergy treatment

If the allergy persists for a long period of time and seriously affects daily life routine and causes emotional distress, desensitisation treatment can be considered. Desensitisation therapy has been acknowledged by the World Allergy Organisation and is recognized as an effective treatment for allergies. It is categorised into Subcutaneous immunotherapy which involves receiving injections of the allergen, whereas sublingual immunotherapy involves taking drops of the allergen. The whole course of treatment lasts for three years, and the purpose is to train the immune system to gradually adapt to the allergen, thus, stopping the allergic reaction.