If you suffer with hay fever, or any other allergies, you'll know how irritating it can be around the things that trigger you.
At some point in their lives, one in four people will be affected by allergies, and they can cause sneezing, coughing, rashes, blocked noses, headaches, and itchy red eyes.
They can also provoke respiratory illnesses such as asthma, and skin conditions such as eczema.
The most common allergies involve pollen, dust mites, animal dander (flecks of skin shed by pets), mould, household chemicals, and certain foods.
But if your eyes are affected, they can feel itchy, swollen, gritty, and also look red.
Community pharmacist Sultan Dajani, from Golden Eye, shared how allergies can cause wider eye problems, and how to combat the issues you may face.
Sultan said: "When we encounter an allergen, either from inhaling, swallowing, or simply by the skin coming into contact with it, the body goes into fighting mode and the immune system overreacts to the substance.
"A protein known as IgE is produced to go after the allergen, and a chemical called histamine is released into the blood - and it is this that creates the symptoms commonly experienced.
"So, in fact when we have these types of symptoms the body is functioning and doing its job to get rid of the allergen.
"Though we need our body to react in this way, the symptoms themselves can really affect our general wellbeing, lowering our immune system and interrupting everyday activities."
He also explained that if you're experiencing eye irritation, it's best to avoid rubbing the eye as it can cause problems.
He said: "If we touch our eyes, we leave them open to the possibility of further eye problems or infections such as styes, conjunctivitis, or blepharitis.
"Our hands come into contact with most things, from people to surfaces, making it easy to transfer bacteria and germs to our faces - and if we are reaching for our eyes, it's easy for a simple rubbing of the eyes to develop into something else."
He shared three common eye issues that can become a problem for those with hay fever and other allergies.
Sultan said Styes can become an issue, and it is a "small swollen lump on the eyelid" which is a "bacterial infection of either an eyelash follicle or a gland near the eyelashes."
He explained: "People tend to get more styes during allergy season. Allergies are known risk factors for styes. With the experience of itchy eye symptoms it can feel impossible not to rub them.
"According to one study, styes accounted for 4% of more than 11 million emergency department attendances for eye conditions across all age groups."
He also warned about conjunctivitis, which is "often an infection caused by a virus or bacteria, though it may also be caused by an allergy."
He said it's sometimes known as "pink eye" and is "inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the membrane (or thin skin) on the inside of the eyelid. It happens when the blood vessels of the sclera (the white of the eye) become dilated, giving us that red-eyed appearance."
Sultan said that "blepharitis is a common eye condition, estimated to account for around 5% of eye-health-related GP visits. This condition causes inflammation of the eyelids."
He said: "This can either be anterior blepharitis, inflammation at the base of the eyelid and can be caused by bacteria like staphylococci, or seborrhoeic dermatitis, or posterior blepharitis, an inflammation of the meibomian glands, which help to produce tears."
And if you find yourself suffering with any of these conditions that can be "uncomfortable, unsightly, and painful", he recommends a "formulation containing propamidine isetionate is advisable to seek as it is a disinfectant and also has antifungal properties."
Have you ever suffered with any of these symptoms? Let us know in the comments.
