All about allergy

Author: Parag A Majmudar, MD, Fellowship Co-Director, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service, Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke’s Medical Center. Coauthor(s): Lauri Graham, Medical Writer, eMedicine.com, Inc. Editors: Richard W Allinson, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Ophthalmology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Scott and White Clinic; Mary L [...]

Most people with SAC and PAC have nothing to worry about more than it being an annoying inconvenience. Although your symptoms might make the activities of daily living miserable for you, no long-term vision loss is to be expected.   Allergy journal

Unfortunately, other than avoidance of the allergen(s), PAC and SAC cannot be prevented.   Allergy journal

Follow-up appointments are scheduled as needed. For mild cases of PAC and SAC, annual follow-up visits with an ophthalmologist may be appropriate. For more severe cases or for intermittent exacerbations of normally mild disease, more frequent visits with an ophthalmologist may be required.   Allergy journal

Prescription eyedrops are generally very effective, and, because they are applied topically, eyedrops are usually free of many systemic side effects. Most eyedrops are used twice a day, and many can be used to prevent the allergic reaction in the first place. Some common allergy eyedrops include: Nedocromil (Alocril) Ketotifen (Zaditor) Olopatadine (Patanol) Azelastine (Optivar) [...]

Numerous over-the-counter medications, such as allergy eyedrops and oral antihistamines, can be used as directed for mild allergies. In addition, many prescription eyedrops are also available to help reduce allergies.   Allergy journal

Self-Care at Home With allergies, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Avoidance of the allergen(s) is the mainstay in the treatment of allergies. If you can identify and avoid the particular agent that you are allergic to, your symptoms will improve dramatically. To further help alleviate your symptoms, you may want [...]

Frequently, your ophthalmologist is able to diagnose ocular allergies from your complaints alone. As part of the eye examination, your eyes are examined to help rule out other problems. The front of your eyes are examined using a special microscope, called a slit lamp. Using the slit lamp, your ophthalmologist checks your eyes for dilated [...]

If you suffer from allergies but can identify and avoid whatever you are allergic to, your allergies should improve markedly. If you are unable to identify or avoid the allergens, seeking care for your ocular allergies from an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in eye care and surgery) may help to make them more [...]

SAC and PAC have identical symptoms, only the timing of the symptoms is different. With SAC, your symptoms are generally limited to a particular season (ie, spring, summer, fall). With PAC, your symptoms probably last all year. Almost always, the symptom of itching indicates an allergic reaction. This is true of allergic conjunctivitis, where the [...]

Ocular (eye) allergies often affect the conjunctiva, a clear layer of skin overlying the eyes. This clear layer of skin is the same type of skin that lines the inside surface of the nose. Because these two areas are so similar, the same allergens (substances that induce an allergic reaction) can trigger the same allergic [...]

Up to 50 million Americans suffer from the miseries of allergies, with allergic reactions involving the eyes being a common complaint. An allergic reaction that affects the conjunctiva, a clear layer of skin overlying the eyes, is commonly referred to as allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is divided into several major subtypes, but the most common [...]