Eye Allergies

Many people are sensitive to certain substances that can trigger an allergic reaction in their bodies. These substances are called allergens. When the eyes come in physical contact with an allergen, it can cause an allergic reaction. This is called allergic conjunctivitis or an eye allergy.

Usually, people are allergic to pollen, dust, and pet dander which are known to cause eye allergies. It is important to seek medical treatment in time to avoid complications.

Here are the different types of eye allergies:

Here are the common symptoms of different types of eye allergies:

The eyes are sensitive organs that are exposed to the environment and the allergens in the air. Eye allergies are reactions to allergens that enter your body via your eyes. Some examples of such allergens are pollen, dust mites, and mould spores. It is important to note that eye allergies are not contagious. Hence, you cannot get it from another person. Eye allergies are caused to due direct exposure to allergens.

Risk Factors

Here are the risk factors for some common types of eye allergies

Allergic conjunctivitis Individuals, who are under the age of 20, and suffering from asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergic rhinitis are at a higher risk of developing allergic conjunctivitis.

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis Males, who live in hot and dry climates are at a higher risk of developing Vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Further, males under the age of ten with asthma are at a much higher risk.

Atopic keratoconjunctivitis This allergy tends to affect people suffering from atopic dermatitis. Males over 50 are also at risk of developing atopic keratoconjunctivitis.

Giant papillary conjunctivitis This develops in people using soft contact lenses for at least one to two years.

Here are the steps usually followed by doctors to diagnose eye allergies:

Medical examination and review

The doctor will talk to you and try to understand your symptoms, medical history, and the presence of any allergies in the family. This can help understand your risk exposure of developing an allergy. The doctor will also examine your eye to look for any signs of an allergic reaction.

Allergy Tests

If the doctor suspects an eye allergy, he might take a sample of your conjunctival tissue and test it for the presence of eosinophils or white blood cells that tend to get activated when you have allergies. The doctor might also recommend an allergy skin test where your skin is exposed to different allergens to see how your body reacts to them.

Blood Test

A blood test can help identify antibodies against certain allergens to confirm the allergic reaction in the body.

One of the first things that you should do when diagnosed with an eye allergy is to remove the allergen from your surroundings and take precautions to avoid coming in contact with it. This can help relieve the symptoms and manage the allergy. If the symptoms are severe, then the doctor might prescribe medicines to manage them. Here are some treatment options for eye allergies**

The doctor can prescribe oral eye allergy medicines and eyedrops to manage the symptoms. These include

Antihistamine eye drops to reduce the symptoms of eye allergies.

Mast cell stabiliser eye drops to prevent the release of histamine and other chemicals that can cause the symptoms of the allergy

NSAID eye drops to reduce the itchiness caused by the allergic reaction

Corticosteroid eye drops to help treat chronic and severe symptoms of eye allergies

Non sedating oral antihistamines to relieve some symptoms of the allergy

You can prevent eye allergies by taking the following precautions:

• Avoid allergens by keeping the windows closed during pollen seasons

• Wear glasses to protect your eyes from allergens

• Clean your house regularly and avoid the accumulation of dust

• Make sure that you use a dehumidifier regularly to avoid the growth of mold in your house

• Wash your hands before touching your eyes

• Avoid rubbing your eyes if they are feeling itchy. Wash them with clean water instead

• Choose makeup products after ensuring that they don’t contain any ingredient that you are allergic to

Eye allergies can be common, especially during seasons when the allergens increase. The symptoms of eye allergies are usually mild and can be treated easily with eyedrops and medication.

However, in some cases, the allergy can cause severe symptoms, especially if the patient has other health issues or a weak immune system. In such cases, the patient is immediately hospitalised and treated based on the seriousness of the complications.

The treatment and hospitalisation costs can dent the finances. Hence, it is important to have a health insurance plan that covers eye allergies, among other diseases and illnesses. When you opt for a medical insurance plan from Tata AIG, you get a range of benefits including**

Comprehensive coverage A health insurance plan should offer coverage for various medical costs like diagnostic tests, consultations, hospital charges, and post-hospitalization charges. Our health insurance plans offer exhaustive coverage to help you manage medical emergencies without worrying about the associated expenses.

Cashless claim settlement Tata AIG offers cashless claim settlement where the hospital bills are paid directly without you having to pay them upfront. If you are getting treated at any of the country-wide spread 7200+ network hospitals and we approve your cashless claim request, then you focus on getting the best treatment, and we will settle the bills with the hospital directly.

Affordable premiums When you purchase a health insurance plan, you are required to pay a premium for the coverage offered by the insurer. The premium is calculated based on a range of factors like your medical history, the sum insured, etc.

If the policy has all the features you need, but the premium is too high, then you can reduce it by opting for copayment or voluntary deductible. In these options, you agree to pay a certain amount at the time of claim settlement in exchange for a discount on the premium.

Customer Support When a medical emergency strikes and you are rushing to the hospital, you expect the insurance policy to cover the costs. At such times, if you have any query or doubt, then you need access to a customer service team that can provide answers.

We have a team of experienced and knowledgeable professionals to help you with such queries at any time of the day or night.

Here is a quick look at the process to buy TATA AIG health insurance*

Online Process

• Visit our official website

• Navigate to the health insurance page by scrolling to the top menu on the home page and clicking on “Health Insurance” or by clicking here

• On this page, you can choose the family members that you want to include in the policy.

• Provide the date of birth of all covered members and your contact details and click on “See Plans”

• Go through the plans displayed on the next page and choose the one that suits your requirements

• Select the sum assured based on your needs

• Review the premium displayed on the next page

• You can compare plans by making changes to the people covered under the policy

• Click on ‘Buy Now’

• We will call you to complete the buying process

Offline purchase

• Visit the closest Tata AIG office

• Our representative will understand your insurance requirements and offer a range of plans based on your needs

• Choose the best fit

• Fill out the required forms and attach the necessary documents

• Pay the fees

When you buy a TATA AIG health insurance policy, you are required to provide information about yourself and your medical history. This information needs to be backed by relevant documents. We use the information to assess our risk exposure and calculate the premium amount along with the sum insured. Here is a common list of documents needed to buy a health insurance policy from TATA AIG**

Age Proof Aadhar Card, passport, etc.

Address Proof Utility bill, bank statement, etc.

Identity Proof PAN Card, Aadhar Card, etc.

Medical History Doctor’s reports and test results of any pre-existing disease

Other documents IT returns, proof of income, etc.

Eye allergies are usually treated at home with some prescription medicines from the doctor. However, if the symptoms get severe or you develop complications, then you need to be hospitalised and receive specialised treatment. In such cases, medical expenses can rise and strain your finances. A health insurance policy can help you manage these costs with ease. Before you set out to buy a health insurance plan, here are some things to look for:

Adequate Sum Insured

The coverage offered by a health insurance policy is limited to the sum insured. This means that if the sum insured by a policy is ₹2 lakhs, then the maximum coverage offered by the policy will be ₹2 lakhs. Hence, if your hospital bills are ₹3 lakhs, then you will have to pay ₹1 lakh from your pocket.

This can mean a strain on your finances despite buying a health insurance plan. To avoid this, it is important to choose a policy with an adequate sum insured based on the average costs of medical care in your city.

Premiums can be reduced

Yes, you read that right. Even if the insurer is not willing to offer any discounts, you can opt for copayment or voluntary deductible to reduce the premium without making any changes to the policy.

If you agree to pay a certain amount at the time of claim settlement (copayment), the insurer will offer a discount on the premium rate.

Wide network of hospitals

The insurer will have a network of hospitals and healthcare providers. Make sure that the hospitals close to your home feature on the list of hospitals. This will help you get a cashless treatment done during medical emergencies.

When you are choosing a health insurance policy, make sure that you pay attention to the claim filing process and the claim settlement ratio of the insurer. This will help you find an insurance provider that settles claims quickly and efficiently. Insurance providers settle health insurance claims in two ways – cashless and reimbursement.

01:Cashless claim settlement

When you get treated at a network hospital, the insurer can offer you an option of cashless claim settlement. Under this option, once your claim request is approved, the hospital bills will be paid directly by the insurer. This means that you won’t have to pay the bills first and claim them later. Keep these things in mind before applying for cashless claim settlement:

• You need to get approval from the insurance provider to avail of cashless hospitalization at a network hospital. Hence, if the treatment is planned, then ensure that you inform the insurer at least five days in advance and receive approval before being admitted.

• If you get admitted to a network hospital due to a medical emergency, then you won’t be able to inform the insurer in advance. In such cases, you need to talk to your insurer within 24 hours of being admitted to get the coverage you need.

02:Reimbursement claim settlement

There can be situations where you decide to get treated at a non-network hospital. In such cases, you will not be eligible for cashless claim settlement. Hence, you will be required to pay all the bills and file a claim with your insurance provider. Once you are discharged, you can file a claim for reimbursement of the expenses. Here are some things to remember for reimbursement claim settlement:

• Ensure that you know the process for filing claims

• Collect all the required documents and submit them in the prescribed format

• Make sure that you don’t miss any deadlines or timelines

Here are some additional tips for Eye Allergy claims:

• The health insurance policy should be active and in force

• You must understand the kind of coverage offered by going through the policy documents

Health insurance policies offer tax benefits in India under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Under this section, individuals and HUFs are allowed a tax deduction of the premium amount paid for a health insurance policy that covers themselves, their spouses, children, and parents.

Here are the health insurance tax benefits in detail:

Age of the policyholder under 60 years: ₹25,000

Age of the policyholder above 60 years: ₹50,000

Age of the policyholder below 60 years + a separate policy for parents (under 60 years): ₹25,000 + ₹25,000 = ₹50,000

Age of the policyholder below 60 years + a separate policy for parents (above 60 years): ₹25,000 + ₹50,000 = ₹75,000

Age of the policyholder above 60 years + a separate policy for parents (above 60 years): ₹50,000 + ₹50,000 = ₹1,00,000

Hindu Undivided Family (HUF): ₹25,000 (below 60 years) | ₹50,000 (above 60 years)

Non-Resident Indians (NRIs): ₹25,000