Eye drops

Itchy, red and watery eyes are common symptoms of hayfever. A type of treatment called a mast cell stabiliser (e.g. sodium cromoglicate) can help to manage these symptoms.

The body’s mast cells contain histamine and play a central role in many different allergies. As the name suggests, mast cell stabilisers work by stabilising mast cells, preventing them from releasing histamine and thus stopping allergic symptoms such as itchy, red and watery eyes from occurring. Some may cause side effects, such as a stinging or burning sensation in the eyes. Examples include Opticrom Allergy Eye Drops and Optrex Allergy Eye Drops.

Nasal sprays

In hayfever, one of the main symptoms is inflammation of the lining of the nose. There are various products that treat this symptom:

1. Corticosteroid nasal sprays – examples include beclometasone dipropionate (e.g. Beconase Hayfever), fluticasone propionate (e.g. Pirinase Hayfever Relief), triamcinolone acetonide (e.g. Nasacort Allergy), budesonide (e.g. Benacort) and the recent POM to P switch mometasone furoate (e.g. Clarinaze). These are often the first choice of treatment for people who experience regular allergy symptoms over a long period of time. They are effective against all allergy symptoms. For best results, the sufferer should start to use this medication a couple of weeks before the hayfever season starts. The spray should then be used on a daily basis.

2. Decongestant nasal sprays – such as oxymetazoline and xylometazoline relieve nasal congestion by shrinking the swollen lining of the nose. They should only be used for short periods of time, otherwise symptoms can reappear when their use is stopped. Examples include Vicks Sinex Nasal Spray and Otrivine Nasal Spray.

3. Saline nasal sprays – these are a drug-free way of relieving nasal congestion. Products containing natural sea water (e.g. Stérimar Hayfever & Allergies) work by washing away allergens and rebalancing nasal functions. Some have additional ingredients such as manganese, calcium and purified water (e.g. Stérimar Stop & Protect Allergy Response) to neutralise allergens in the nose and form a protective film to prevent allergens from irritating the lining of the nose.