Recurring conjunctivitis

I'm puzzled as to why approximately every 5 years or so (since 1988) I've been suffering from long bouts of conjunctivitis -- usually it's the right eye only.  It sometimes lasts up to 3 months.  I've been to eye specialists who prescribe drops and offer explanations such as "it happens sometimes."  I do suffer from several food allergies (wheat, corn, soy, seafood, etc.) and I avoid them all totally except wheat, but I need to know the best way to treat this very red eye.  Though it's not physically painful (no discharges), it's socially embarrassing and very unattractive.  Please help!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Probably not allergy which is almost always both eyes. There are some types of conjunctivitis that affect one eye and re-occur (example Thygeson's Keratitis).

If it only occurs once every five years you're very lucky. When it flares up see an Eye MD.

JCH IIII MD