AD | This post is a paid for collaboration with Opticrom Hayfever Eye Drops
Is anyone else brimming with joy and excitement for the summer months that are just around the corner? I know I am! Except for the fact that along with it, comes those pesky symptoms of the dreaded summer curse… hello, my old friend hayfever.
I would say I suffer particularly bad with hayfever much more than my peers, and my symptoms are quite lousy. Not only am I a sniffling, sneezing mess but my eyes are SO itchy and inflamed, it takes all of my energy not to want to gouge them out. I get headaches, I overheat from all the sneezing (to the point of just needing a constant cool shower) and I also can’t sleep in the evenings.
Along with the physical symptoms, hayfever also completely ruins my social fun in the summer – I usually have to say no to all festivals, picnic or bbq social events unless I want to spend the rest of the day really suffering, which has a big impact on my emotional wellbeing as well (the fomo is real, guys).
The extremes I have gone to, to help lessen my hayfever side effects in the past, have been verging on manic (but looking back, quite hilarious) so I thought I’d share some of them with you today.
1) I have tried keeping all windows in the house shut to avoid pollen getting in despite it being ridiculously hot, and therefore just end up a sneezy snotty mess (because somehow even with no outside contact I’m still affected).
2) I’ve rubbed Vaseline or anything sticky to the outside of my nose to stop pollen getting up in the old nostrils (which just leaves me looking like I have a real greasy nose, very unattractive and also doesn’t work for me).
3) Literally having to force myself not to itch my eyes by sitting on my hands or wearing goggles/ humongous sunglasses whilst out and about… I’m basically very unattractive around spring summer time because if I’ve not got bloodshot, swollen itchy eyes and a snotty, flaky nose (from all the rubbing), then I have goggles or other silly preventative measures on the go.
4) I also change my bedsheets and wash my hair like never before, desperate to try and remove pollen from around my body and home and I always try eating local honey to help get myself used to the pollen (haven’t had any success with this either)!
5) I’ve also kept spoons in my fridge to hold against my eyes if they need cooling down and relieving (works for about a minute and then the constant itchiness returns).
As awful as sneezing 10 times in a row is though, the worst thing about hayfever side effects, in my opinion, is definitely the itchy eyes as it’s so frustrating, painful and does not stop. I even used to wake up in the morning with my eye lids glued together as they were so inflamed by pollen.
But I wanted to tell you today about Opticrom Hayfever 2% eye drops which bring fast-acting relief to those eye symptoms, to start soothing and relieving redness, itchiness and irritation in the eye in as little as just two minutes.
The active ingredient is sodium cromoglicate which helps to relieve symptoms by reducing the release of histamine; the cause of the symptoms of hayfever eyes.
I was blown away when I recently learnt the fact that around 13 million of us brits in the UK suffer with hayfever – so many of us are having our summer’s fun compromised because of this allergy but there are products and medicines out there that can help us enjoy the warmer months much more! I can’t express how happy I am about the thought that I might be able to actually enjoy the warmer season, without worrying about my hayfever eyes..
I’m really excited to tell you about a competition Opticrom are running where you can enter to try and win a £250 John Lewis designer sunglasses e-voucher over on Twitter!
All you have to do to enter is head over to Opticrom’s @OpticromUK page and comment A, B or C to pick your favourite, imaginary invention using #HayfeverHacks. T&Cs apply https://www.opticrom.co.uk/competition UK Only 18+. No purchase necessary. Ends 04/06. Opticrom Hayfever 2% w/v Eye Drops solution. Contains sodium cromoglicate. Always read the label. www.optricom.co.uk
Opticrom Hayfever 2% eye drops are available from key retailers and pharmacies nationwide and cost £5.79 for 10ml. They should not be used continuously for more than 14 days unless on the advice of a pharmacist or doctor. Adults and children over 6 years old take one or two drops in each eye up to four times daily.
References:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/40338497[last accessed April 2019 ]
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hay-fever/#symptoms[last accessed April 2019]
- Survey of 2,000 UK adults by 3Gem on behalf of Opticrom Hayfever Eye Drops, July 2018
- Montan P.et al.1994. Topical sodium cromoglicate relieves ongoing Allergy.Wiley;49:637-640
- https://patient.info/medicine/sodium-cromoglicate-eye-drops[last accessed April 2019]
- Opticrom Hayfever 2% Eye Drops SPC, August 2018
