ATLANTA, April 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- It's cruelly ironic that spring, the time of the year when the game of golf is most seductive, is also the time of the year when allergies can send duffers running for the clubhouse faster than a ball can roll into a sand trap.
Fairways may beckon, but for many golfers -- both men and women -- pollen season is a major handicap. Forget sand traps and water holes -- the entire course is a hazard.
"We have plenty of people who don't play in high pollen season," said Craig Hartle, director of golf at Ansley Golf Club's Settindown Creek course, near Atlanta. "When the yellow stuff gets flying, it can be frustrating. But people with the worst allergies -- if they are adamant about golf -- will do anything to play -- from wraparound sunglasses that look like goggles to allergy medication."
As any golfing allergy sufferer knows, golf courses are allergen generators. Windblown pollen from grasses, trees and flowers that make the courses so beautiful can trigger itchy, watery eyes, conditions that make getting that shot off the tee a real challenge. And who can putt when they are sneezing?
What golfers may not know is that the intense grooming that makes golf courses so alluring, such as mowing and scalping, a technique that shears the grass on greens close to the ground, releases allergens that can trigger or acerbate allergy symptoms. And golfers who head to warmer climates to play golf in the winter may be surprised to find their seasonal allergies kicking in.
But allergy attacks need not keep golfers away from their favorite game. Allergy pills don't always help watery, itchy eyes. Prescription eye drops such as Zaditor(tm) (ketotifen fumarate ophthalmic solution, 0.025%), from Novartis Ophthalmics, both relieves and prevents the itch in three minutes and lasts up to 12 hours.
"The active ingredient in Zaditor has a multiple action that prevents the release of histamine," said Dr. Yvonne M. Johnson, director of Regulatory and Medical Affairs at Novartis Ophthalmics. "Histamine is the primary agent that causes ocular itch. By blocking histamine's effects, Zaditor stops the allergic reaction. If allergy sufferers need fast relief for itchy eyes, they have to apply it right to the eye."
In the meantime, there are other steps that golfers can take:
-- Check the day's pollen count. If pollen counts are high, take an allergy medication and apply eye drops before venturing onto the course.
-- Hot, dry, windy conditions are ideal for air-borne pollen. Try to avoid golfing in these conditions and instead plan tee times when it is cool, humid and less windy.
-- Try to avoid being on the course during scheduled maintenance times if possible.
But Hartle wonders if golfers sometimes use their itchy, allergy eyes as an excuse.
"Golfers enjoy blaming bad shots on something, even if it's allergies," he said.
Background on Novartis Ophthalmics
With worldwide headquarters in Bulach, Switzerland, Novartis Ophthalmics is a global leader in research, development and manufacturing of leading ophthalmic pharmaceuticals that assist in the treatment of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, eye inflammation, ocular allergies and other diseases and disorders of the eye. Novartis Ophthalmics products are available in more than 110 different countries. The North American headquarters is based in Atlanta. Novartis Ophthalmics has production sites in Switzerland, France and Canada. For more information, please go to the web site www.novartisophthalmics.com/us.
Background on Novartis AG
Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) is a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2002, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.4 billion (USD 20.9 billion) and a net income of CHF 7.3 billion (USD 4.7 billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.3 billion (USD 2.8 billion) in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 72,900 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com