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Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) eyedrops may be prescribed to decrease swelling, inflammation and other symptoms associated with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, otherwise known as hay fever. Prescription corticosteroid eyedrops also may provide similar, quick relief. However, steroids have been associated with side effects such as increased inner eye pressure (intraocular pressure) leading to glaucoma, which can damage the optic nerve. Steroids also have been known to cause the eye's natural lens to become cloudy, producing cataracts.
Decongestants clear up redness. They contain vasoconstrictors, which simply make the blood vessels in your eyes smaller, lessening the apparent redness. They treat the symptom, not the cause.
In fact, with extended use, the blood vessels can become dependent on the vasoconstrictor to stay small. When you discontinue the eyedrops, the vessels actually get bigger than they were to begin with. This process is called rebound hyperemia, and the result is that your red eyes get worse over time.