What Are Allergies?

Allergies are a condition in which your immune system recognizes the things that you’re allergic to as foreign and threatening and mounts an inflammatory response which is meant to be protective. Not only is this response unnecessary, but it can be uncomfortable, even harmful. Your immune system should not mount a protective inflammatory response to harmless things commonly found in your environment such as pollen, dust, mold and animal dander; it should only mount such a response to viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. The inflammatory response related to allergies typically causes symptoms such as itchy, red, watery eyes, sneezing, and nasal and sinus congestion. These are the symptoms most commonly associated with allergies, but there are many people who have year round allergies, such as dust and mold, who do not report these symptoms and yet feel significantly healthier with treatment (less tired, lethargic, they breath better, have fewer headaches, etc.).

The first step toward improving your ocular health, as well as your overall health, is obtaining the proper diagnosis. Dr. Muller uses a state-of-the-art allergy testing system to identify your specific allergens. Allergy testing is painless, with results available in 10 minutes. Once your unique allergens are identified, Dr. Muller can create a targeted, custom allergy treatment plan designed precisely for you.

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