Expert shares four tips to stop itchy eyes - and rubbing them is a big no-no

If you suffer from itchy eyes, your first instinct may be to rub your eyes vigorously to relieve the discomfort.

However, according to Tina Patel, Contact Lens Optician at Feel Good Contacts, this is not a good idea as it may actually make your symptoms worse. Therefore, rubbing your eyes is not an effective remedy to relieve itchy eyes.

Tina reveals four tips on how to successfully care for itchy eyes and stop them from getting aggravated by the pollen. Rubbing your eyes will not provide relief, but instead is likely to cause more inflammation.

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Tina said: "The act of rubbing your eyes releases histamine, which aggravates allergy symptoms further. Alongside this, rubbing your eyes with dirty hands is likely to expose eyes to bacteria. This can lead to infections such as conjunctivitis or styes, which will worsen your hay fever symptoms.", reports Wales Online.

"To combat this, it's prudent to lubricate eyes with artificial tears or over-the-counter antihistamine drops regularly. This should help to quickly alleviate discomfort, whilst not worsening symptoms."

If you do wear contact lenses, ensure you're washing and drying your hands properly before handling your contacts and touching your eyes to prevent eye infections.

Sunglasses are not just for looking cool, they can also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and stop pollen from getting in your eyes. Big sunglasses like square or aviator ones are the best at keeping pollen out and stopping you from scratching your eyes.

Tina suggests using a cold compress on your eyes for five to ten minutes a day. This can help reduce puffiness, redness and swelling caused by