Allergic Conjunctivitis
Overview
Allergic conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva from an allergic (often IgE-mediated) reaction to pollen, dust mites, animal dander, mould, or cosmetics, causing bilateral itchy, watery, red eyes, often with swollen eyelids and a clear discharge, frequently alongside allergic rhinitis; it is typically recurrent and seasonal or perennial. Chinese medicine treats it as 'eye itching' (mu yang), with patterns of wind-heat invading the eye, damp-heat with wind in recurrent cases, and blood deficiency generating wind in chronic dry-itchy cases. Avoiding allergens and cold compresses help; red flags require eye care.
TCM disease & pathogenesis
In TCM this is 'eye itching' (mu yang) or recurrent seasonal eye disorder. The site is the white of the eye—the conjunctiva, the qi wheel—related to liver and lung: the liver opens into the eyes, and the white of the eye belongs to the lung. Constitutional sensitivity plus contact with foreign qi such as pollen or dust mites, with external wind, brings sudden intense itch because wind is mobile and changeable and attacks the eye orifices. Wind carrying heat or dampness attacks the eye upward, producing redness and sticky tearing with recurrence. Acute cases show external wind-heat; recurrent cases show damp-heat with wind; chronic dry itching adds blood deficiency generating wind. Treatment expels wind and clears heat, removes dampness to stop itch, or nourishes blood to extinguish wind; avoiding allergens is essential. Eye pain, reduced vision, or photophobia requires prompt eye care.
Pattern differentiation (clinical patterns)
External Wind-Heat Invasion
Intense itching of both eyes with mild burning pain, worse with wind or heat, clear watery discharge, nasal blockage and runny nose, red tongue with thin yellow coating, floating rapid pulse.
Expel wind and clear heat; stop itching and brighten the eyes.
Damp-Heat with Wind (Recurrent)
Itchy rough-aching eyes with sticky discharge and tears, heavy eyelids, recurrent attacks, red tongue with yellow greasy coating, soggy rapid pulse.
Clear heat and drain dampness; expel wind and stop itching.
Connections
Daily care & prevention
Avoid known allergens, keep windows closed during high-pollen periods, use cold clean compresses and preservative-free artificial tears, do not rub the eyes, wash hands and change clothes after outdoors, and reduce contact lenses during flare-ups. Press Taiyang (EX-HN5), Jingming (BL1), Hegu (LI4), Fengchi (GB20), Taichong (LR3), and Ganshu (BL18). Eye pain, reduced vision, photophobia, or thick discharge needs urgent eye care.
When to seek medical care
Seek urgent eye care for marked eye pain, reduced or blurred vision, severe photophobia, purulent thick discharge, a red painful eye in contact-lens wearers, light sensitivity with headache and nausea, or symptoms not improving despite treatment.