The pollen-packed air of spring has arrived and allergy sufferers are in for a long haul thanks to Eugene’s remarkably high pollen count.
With grass seed growers directly north and the Willamette Valley’s southerly winds, one of the world’s highest grass pollen counts graces the University’s hometown.
Grass seed pollen likely will not affect people until late next month, but high tree pollen counts have already kicked off allergy season.

Sharon Harbert, director of nursing at the University Health Center, said students who move to Eugene for school often experience allergies for the first time.
“You can develop allergies at any age, and many students come here and go crazy,” she said.
For those wondering whether their symptoms are cold-related or allergies, a few key indicators can help students decide whether they should make a visit to the allergy clinic. Allergies are characterized by irritation, Harbert said. Itchy, watery eyes, a constantly runny nose, frequent sneezing, a minor sore throat and clear, thin mucus help identify allergies.
The National Allergy Bureau’s local pollen count is taken at the Oregon Allergy Associates, a division of Oak Street Medical in Eugene, where Dr. Kraig Jacobson’s certified pollen counting practice measures the presence of airborne allergens.
Dr. Sarah Kehl of the Oregon Allergy Associates said allergists begin to see allergic reaction when the pollen count reaches 20 particles per cubic meter. Last week’s count found a “very high concentration” of tree pollen at a rate higher than 1,500 particles per cubic meter.
The pollen count reduced slightly by Tuesday to a “high concentration.”
Whether students are developing allergies to allergens that have never bothered them before or reacting to the area’s high concentration of tree and grass pollens, many students may seek help for their irritating symptoms during spring term.
Nurses trained in allergy assessment at the health center’s allergy and asthma clinic can help determine what allergens students are reacting to and what might relieve their symptoms.
Sometimes, simple tips like wearing sunglasses outdoors, showering at night and not sleeping with pets can vastly improve an allergy-sufferer’s quality of life, Harbert said. The health center pharmacy carries low-cost, over-the-counter medications and in more serious cases, medications including nasal steroid sprays can help.
And when all else fails, stay away from the allergen-polluted outdoors.
“If you have a choice, you should probably choose indoor activities,” Harbert said.
The record-high local pollen count yields improbable results, Kehl said.
“We see people who skin-tested negative to grass pollen, which means they are not allergic. But the concentration of allergens is so high that it can act as an irritant even in the non-allergic,” Kehl said. “And that’s pretty unique to Eugene.”
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