What to know about seasonal allergies and your eyes

Fitness is central to your well-being and ability to enjoy life to the fullest,

stuck in a rut. How do you find new interest and motivation so

weather months? Dan Gaz, physical activity and assessment programme manager at the Mayo Clinic Healthy

things people can do to get a jumpstart on their health and wellness.

many creative ways to implement fitness activities into your life that are both fun and invigorating.” Gaz suggests five simple ways to get a jumpstart on summer fitness and energise your workout routine:

Try something new

Gaz says getting outside your comfort zone can be beneficial to your

helps keep your fitness plan fresh. Plan a visit to the local farmers market to pick up produce. Sign up for a 5k run, or look at your local community education or rec centre class

you take an exercise class, join a running club or biking group, you may end up pushing yourself harder.

exercise advocates and suddenly,

your fitness goals.” SUFFERING from itchy, watery eyes? You may have ocular allergies or you could have another issue entirely, such as chronic dry eyes. Experts say that getting the correct diagnosis is the only way to treat symptoms properly.

“Chronic dry eye often mimics the symptoms of seasonal allergies and must be approached entirely differently,” says Arian Fartash, VSP network optometrist. “Many over-the-counter allergy treatments can actually make dry eyes worse, so make an appointment with your eye doctor to determine the exact cause of your discomfort.”

If your itchy and watery eyes are diagnosed as ocular allergies, Dr Fartash recommends taking the following steps.

on high pollen count days.

outside to reduce the amount of pollen on the skin.

added relief.

to the irritants.

can attract allergens that accumulate throughout the day. Consider wearing your glasses or switching to daily disposable contacts during allergy season.

drops that are formulated to relieve itchiness, redness, and watery eyes. But consult your optometrist to find out which are the best recommended.

away, you might need something stronger. Go see your eye doctor to discuss if a prescription medication is right for you.

your best and feel your best by getting your eye symptoms properly diagnosed and treated.