Summer allergies: How proper hand hygiene can protect your eyes

Washing your hands regularly and avoiding eye-touching can help reduce eye irritation and the risk of infections (Image: Canva)

As the temperature rises it brings along allergy season, itchy eyes, redness, and watery irritation. While most people focus on medications or avoiding allergens, few realise that one of the simplest yet most effective tools for preventing eye problems is right at your fingertips, literally. Proper hand hygiene plays a critical role in keeping your eyes safe and healthy, especially during allergy-prone months.

With increased outdoor exposure during spring and summer, allergens like pollen, dust, and mold spores cling easily to your skin, especially your hands, says Dr Nihaal Ahmed F D, Head Clinical, Services, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Bengaluru. “Many people instinctively rub their eyes when they feel itchy or irritated. But doing so transfers these allergens and even harmful microbes directly to the eye’s surface, often triggering infections like conjunctivitis,” he says, adding that "washing your hands regularly and avoiding eye-touching can help reduce eye irritation and the risk of infections".

Handwashing, he says, is the first line of defense for your eyes. “Maintaining clean hands and belongings is key. Handwashing not only prevents allergen transfer but also stops the itch-rub cycle that makes symptoms worse,” says Dr Nihaal.

Clean hands can also lower the risk of developing bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, a common secondary issue in allergy season. “Combining proper hygiene with basic protective measures, such as wearing sunglasses or using artificial tears, can help manage discomfort and protect long-term eye health,” he says.

• Wash your hands often and thoroughly: Scrub with soap for at least 20 seconds, especially after outdoor activities. Use sanitiser only when your hands are visibly clean, and let it dry completely before touching your eyes.
• Resist the urge to rub your eyes: Rubbing worsens inflammation and introduces irritants. Use lubricating eye drops or a cold compress for relief.

• Shower and change clothes after outdoor exposure: This helps remove pollen from your skin and clothes, reducing the chance of it reaching your eyes.
• Clean personal items regularly: Disinfect phones, sunglasses, towels, and pillowcases, which can harbor allergens and germs.
• Wear protective eyewear outdoors: Sunglasses shield your eyes from airborne allergens and reduce direct contact with irritants.