March 21: when the season begins

Astronomical spring begins on March 20 or 21. With it comes pollen season: birch, ash, and hornbeam from mid-March, then grasses from May. France's Association Asthme et Allergies estimates that 25% of the French population has a seasonal respiratory or eye allergy—more than 16 million people.

For people with low vision, the problem is more than discomfort. Eyes that already struggle to see must cope with watering, itching, and further blurring of residual vision. Then comes the practical question: how do you read a prescription and identify the right eye drops, dosage, and frequency when you cannot see the label?

Common eye allergies

Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis

The most common form. Triggered by pollens such as birch, grass, and ragweed, it causes intense itching, tearing, red eyes, and swollen eyelids. It appears within minutes of exposure and subsides after you go indoors. The peak in France runs from April through June.

Perennial allergic conjunctivitis

Linked to dust mites, animal hair, and mold. It is present year-round but worsens with winter heating and spring humidity. The itching is moderate but constant.

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis

A severe form found especially in boys and adolescent males. It affects the cornea and can threaten vision, requiring close ophthalmic monitoring.

Allergic blepharitis

Inflammation of the edge of the eyelids, often confused with conjunctivitis. The distinction matters because the treatment is different.

Why it is worse when you have low vision

For someone with 20/20 vision, allergic conjunctivitis is an annoyance. For someone whose vision is already reduced to 20/100 or 20/50 by AMD, glaucoma, cataracts, or retinal disease, its effects add up:

  • Additional haze: reactive tearing further reduces usable vision.
  • Greater light sensitivity compounds existing photophobia.
  • Reflexively rubbing the eye is dangerous after recent surgery such as cataract surgery or a corneal transplant.
  • Difficulty applying drops because the tip is already hard to see.
  • Mixing up treatments: allergy, glaucoma, and lubricating drops can look alike.
  • Eye strain can make an entire day unproductive.

France's medicines safety agency, ANSM, specifically advises ophthalmology patients never to self-prescribe antihistamine eye drops without medical advice. Some active ingredients may interact with glaucoma treatment or delay healing after cataract surgery.

Eight practical tips for getting through spring

1. Check the pollen forecast every morning

France's National Aerobiological Monitoring Network (RNSA) publishes a daily bulletin on pollens.fr. On an iPhone, ask Lumyeye Pro or Siri, “Read today's pollen forecast for Paris.”

2. Wear wraparound glasses outdoors

Wraparound lenses, including sunglasses in bright light, significantly reduce the amount of pollen reaching the eye. For people with retinitis pigmentosa, they provide the added benefit of UV protection.

3. Rinse your eyes with sterile saline at night

Use single-dose vials from a pharmacy, one in each eye before bed, to flush away pollen accumulated during the day. It is a safe, preservative-free step compatible with other treatments.

4. Wash your hair at night, not in the morning

Hair collects pollen throughout the day. Sleeping on it means exposure all night. Likewise, do not dry laundry outdoors during a pollen peak.

5. Air your home briefly in the early morning or late evening

In urban areas, pollen peaks occur from 10 a.m. to noon and from 4 to 7 p.m. Opening windows for ten minutes at 7 a.m. or 10 p.m. limits the amount that enters. Pollen filters can be fitted to mechanical ventilation.

6. Do not rub—apply something cold

Rubbing makes symptoms worse by releasing more histamine. Instead, apply a clean cold compress for five minutes several times a day for immediate relief.

7. Have your eye drops labeled at the clinic

Ask your ophthalmologist or pharmacist to put a tactile dot or large handwritten mark on each bottle: “A” for allergy, “G” for glaucoma, and “S” for saline. You can also use Lumyeye Pro to read the label aloud.

8. Prepare your kit in advance

Before the season, schedule an eye checkup, renew your prescription, and assemble a clearly organized kit with eye drops, saline, and tissues. Leaving home prepared helps prevent an urgent scramble during the peak.

When to seek urgent care

Most eye allergies can be managed in primary care. However, certain signs require a same-day consultation:

  • Eye pain, rather than itching alone—an allergy does not cause pain.
  • A sudden drop in vision over a few hours.
  • New floaters or flashes of light.
  • One red eye with severe light sensitivity.
  • Major eyelid swelling that prevents the eye from opening.
  • Fever, which points toward infection rather than allergy.

If in doubt in France, the emergency ophthalmology department at the Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts in Paris is open 24 hours a day, as are the relevant services at regional university hospitals.

Lumyeye and reading prescriptions

When several treatments are used in sequence—an allergy drop in the morning, a glaucoma drop in the evening, saline as needed—mix-ups are easy, especially when each bottle is the same size and shape and may even have the same cap color.

Lumyeye Pro's medication-reading feature helps solve this problem. Hold the bottle in front of the iPhone, launch the feature, and the AI reads aloud:

  • The name of the eye drops, for example, “Olopatadine 0.1%, 5 mL.”
  • The dosage instructions printed in the leaflet.
  • The expiration date.
  • The main contraindications, if listed on the packaging.

The same feature reads the prescriptions your ophthalmologist gives you, which are often printed too small for someone with low vision. One photo and a spoken reading make the information accessible without an intermediary.

Lumyeye does not replace a pharmacist or doctor. It is an independence tool to use alongside professional advice.

The most commonly used treatments

Treatment rests on three pillars: avoiding the allergen, local treatment, and systemic treatment if necessary.

Antihistamine eye drops

Olopatadine, ketotifen, azelastine, and levocabastine act quickly, usually within 15 to 30 minutes. The typical schedule is one or two drops twice a day. They are generally well tolerated and often used first during the season.

Mast-cell stabilizer eye drops

Sodium cromoglicate and lodoxamide are preventive. They must be started one to two weeks before the pollen peak to take effect. They have a very good safety profile, including in children.

Dual-action eye drops

Olopatadine and ketotifen also have a stabilizing effect. One drop twice a day provides extended effectiveness.

Oral antihistamines

Cetirizine, loratadine, desloratadine, bilastine, and fexofenadine are useful when symptoms include rhinitis or an itchy palate. Newer, less sedating molecules are preferred; do not drive if you feel drowsy.

Corticosteroid eye drops

Reserved for severe cases and strictly prescription-only. They are formally contraindicated in glaucoma and require ophthalmic monitoring because of the risk of steroid-induced cataracts and glaucoma.

Desensitization, or allergen immunotherapy

A long-term option for severe, persistent allergies. Sublingual tablets or injections are given for three to five years after a complete allergy assessment. It is effective in about 75% of grass-pollen cases.

Allergies and vision: quick FAQ

Can I wear contact lenses during a severe allergy episode?

It is better to switch to glasses during peaks. Lenses trap allergens against the cornea and can worsen conjunctivitis. If you insist on wearing them, choose daily disposables and rinse your eyes with sterile saline before inserting a fresh pair.

Are allergy eye drops compatible with glaucoma treatment?

In most cases, yes, but your ophthalmologist must decide. Space applications at least five minutes apart so the glaucoma treatment is not diluted. Never self-prescribe: some oral antihistamines can worsen angle-closure glaucoma.

Are essential oils dangerous in the eyes?

Yes. Never put essential oils in the eyes, on the eyelids, or around the eyes. They can cause severe chemical keratitis. After accidental contact, rinse thoroughly with sterile saline for 15 minutes and seek urgent care.

My child's eyes are red in spring: allergy or viral conjunctivitis?

Allergies itch, so the child rubs their eyes, often alongside sneezing and a runny nose, and they affect both eyes. Viral conjunctivitis is often unilateral and may involve thick discharge and fever. When in doubt, consult a pediatrician.

Sources and references

  • Association Asthme et Allergies—2024 national statistics.
  • ANSM, the French medicines safety agency—proper use of allergy eye drops.
  • Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique (RNSA)—national pollen bulletin.
  • French Society of Ophthalmology—2022 recommendations on allergic conjunctivitis.
  • Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts—24-hour emergency service.

Informational article. It is not a substitute for a medical consultation or a pharmacist's advice.