BOSTON -- Spring is here, which means allergy season is just a sneeze away, but if you take the right steps, you can fight off itchy eyes and a stuffy nose.

NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported Tuesday that it's a great time of year. The trees and flowers are starting to bloom, but spring can be a nasal nightmare if you're not prepared.

"Once the nose and the eyes and the throat get that bad, it's tough even with the medicines to really get that under control," Dr. Javed Sheikh said.

Sheikh helps allergy sufferers. He said that he tells his patients to start taking medication before the pollen onslaught to help reduce symptoms.

"If people really do address and treat their symptoms early when they're mild before it gets bad, they can prevent things from getting real bad," he said.

Over-the-counter medications, such as Claritin, can make life less runny, but they may not relieve all symptoms.

"Adding a decongestant can be helpful," Sheikh said.

There's a new option this year for people with itchy watery, eyes. Zaditor is an eye drop that is now available over the counter.

"It treats the itchiness the wateriness -- but with the regular use will actually prevent the reoccurrence," Sheikh said.

Other preventative measures don't require medication.

"People who eat certain foods may experience fewer symptoms," said Cathy Wong, the guide to alternative medicine on the Web site About.com.

Wong said to eat foods rich in quercetin and carotenoids, such as berries, apples, leafy greens and carrots. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, have also shown to help relieve allergy symptoms, but research has not proven their medical benefits.

When you're looking for a decongestant containing pseudoephedrine, you will notice they are not on store shelves anymore. You can still get them without a prescription, but you will have to ask your pharmacist.