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Conjunctivitis, allergic

The white part of your eye and the inner surfaces of your eyelids are covered by a transparent membrane (thin layer of cells) known as the conjunctiva. If the conjunctiva becomes inflamed, you have a condition called conjunctivitis.

There are three types of conjunctivitis: irritant, infective and allergic. Each type of conjunctivitis is caused by different factors.

Irritant conjunctivitis

Irritant conjunctivitis occurs when an irritant such as chlorine or an eyelash gets into your eyes. This can make your eyes sore, and if you rub them it can make the soreness even worse. Avoiding the irritant and not rubbing your eyes will help. However, if your eyes are very red and painful, you should seek medical help immediately.

Infective conjunctivitis

Infective conjunctivitis is caused by a virus or bacteria.

Allergic conjunctivitis

Allergic conjunctivitis is a common condition and is responsible for 15% of all eye-related problems recorded in GP surgeries. It occurs when your eye comes into contact with an 'allergen'. An allergen is a particular substance that makes your body's immune system react abnormally, causing irritation and inflammation in the affected body part. This is known as an allergic reaction. Common examples of allergens include pollen, dust mites and animal fur.

conjunctivitis allergic

There are four main types of allergic conjunctivitis. The two most common types are outlined below.

  • Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis is the most common type of conjunctivitis, accounting for half of all allergic conjunctivitis cases. Symptoms recur at the same time each year and are most commonly triggered by pollen.
  • Perennial allergic conjunctivitis symptoms occur all year round and are usually present when you wake in the morning. The symptoms can be caused by a variety of allergens, such dust mites or animal fur.


The other two types of allergic conjunctivitis are less common. They are outlined below.

  • Contact dermatoconjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis with allergic dermatitis of the eyelids. Together with the usual symptoms of conjunctivitis, this condition causes the skin on your eyelids to become red, cracked, sore and inflamed (dermatitis). Eye drops are the most common cause of contact dermatoconjunctivitis.
  • Giant papillary conjunctivitis most commonly occurs in people using soft contact lenses. It may also develop following eye surgery. Your symptoms tend to progress slowly.

Reproduced under the terms of Click-Use Licence number C2009000382. The content of this page has been published under a Click-Use Licence (link this to http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index) which covers the use of core Crown copyright information. The original material can be found on NHS Choices.