Kat asked
What's the best allergy eye drop medication to take for puffy eyes?
Answer
There are two different types of eye drops to be considered when looking for the best drops to treat eye allergies:
- Antihistamine eye drops
- Decongestant eye drops
Both types of medication can be effective for the treatment of ophthalmic allergy symptoms such as dryness, and watery, itchy eyes. Below, we detail both types of allergy eye drops.
Antihistamine Eye Drops
Over the counter antihistamine eye drops include Zaditor and Alaway. Both of these products contain the same ingredient, ketotifen. Ketotifen acts as both an antihistamine and a mast cell stabilizer (when mast cells break down, they release histamine). This mechanism of action allows ketotifen to provide immediate relief and helps to prevent symptoms from occurring in the first place. Therefore, it can be used daily, as a preventative, or simply when you get symptoms.
Below, is some additional information regarding ketotifen:
- Available as brand Zaditor and Alaway
- Typically lasts for 12 hours per dose
- Costs around $12-18 per bottle
- Contacts should be removed before use, and wait 10-15 minutes before re-inserting
- Beneficial for typical ophthalmic allergic symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes.
Decongestant Eye Drops
- Available in multiple products including Visine and Opcon
- Often combined with lubricant ingredients to moisture the eye
- Some products (Opcon-A) also contain the antihistamine pheniramine. Pheniramine is an effective antihistamine but generally does not prevent allergies as well as ketotifen.
- Should not be used for more than 3 days in a row
- Should not be used with contact lenses
Best Allergy Eye Drop
The best allergy eye drop is dependent on the individual situation. Generally, for daily preventative relief, Ketotifen (Zaditor/Alaway) is the best option. For more immediate relief, decongestant eye drops tend to work more quickly but shouldn't be used consistently for more than 3 days. Decongestant eye drops may also be a better option if you have dry eyes as they often contain a lubricant ingredient.
For puffy eyes specifically, decongestant eye drops tend to reduce swelling more quickly than ketotifen. However, ketotifen is generally more effective to prevent puffy eyes from occurring in the first place and is an appropriate preventative.
