While the trees and flowers blooming around us may look pretty, some allergy sufferers say their symptoms have been worse this spring.

"Before, it was just like a little sneeze and stuff, but now it's like eyes red, itchy throat, and sometimes the medicine doesn't even work," says allergy sufferer Jenesky Geneo.

Geneo wonders if it could be because people were stuck in the house too long.

It may seem like a wild guess, but doctors say she's right.

"Last spring, there was no spring...everybody was inside...and so coming from last year, this year is just bananas," says allergist and immunologist Dr. Avi Deener, of Westmed.

Now, more people are getting outside after a cold winter and a long pandemic.

Dr. Matthew Kim, a Westchester Medical Center ear, nose and throat specialist, says people are just more aware of their nasal symptoms since they are wearing masks.

Doctors also say climate change is making allergies worse each spring.

"Pretty much every year, the pollen season seems to get worse. The seasons are longer, the pollen counts are higher," says Deener.

There might actually be a silver lining to wearing masks outside this spring - while they can't cover your eyes, doctors say masks can keep pollen out of your nose.