In this article we will tell you:
- Causes of allergic conjunctivitis
- Classification of allergic conjunctivitis
- Drug-induced allergic conjunctivitis
- Large papillary allergic conjunctivitis
- Seasonal (hay fever) allergic conjunctivitis
- Chronic allergic conjunctivitis
- Infectious-allergic keratoconjunctivitis
- Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (spring catarrh)
- Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis
- Treatment and prevention
Researchers have noted a high increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases. In some regions they come out on top, ahead of diseases of the cardiovascular system and oncology. In almost half of the cases, the organ of vision—the eyes—is involved in the allergic process. Due to exposure to allergens, a person may suffer from eyelid dermatitis, blepharitis and other diseases, but most often the diagnosis of “allergic conjunctivitis” appears in the patient’s card. How to treat the disease, as well as its symptoms, types and causes, read our article.
Allergic conjunctivitis
- an acute or chronic disease consisting of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye due to exposure to an allergen.
Inflamed eye capillaries
Allergic conjunctivitis: symptoms
- Swelling and redness of the eyes.
- Feeling of sand or a foreign body in the eyes.
- Itching in the eye area, causing a constant desire to rub the eyelid.
- Sticky eyelids after waking up.
- Follicles or papillae on the conjunctiva.
- Increased lacrimation for no reason.
Another dangerous symptom - blurred vision due to damage to the cornea - can occur if allergic conjunctivitis reaches an advanced stage and timely treatment is not carried out. A competent consultation with an allergist will help to avoid such a development of the situation: the specialist will prescribe a treatment regimen, as a result of which the impact of the causative allergen will be minimized. Gradually the symptoms will decrease and disappear completely. Otherwise, the patient may develop atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and in some cases even bronchial asthma.
Types of sinusitis
According to the nature of the course, chronic and acute sinusitis are distinguished. The chronic nature is expressed in the long course of the disease and is accompanied by frequent relapses. The acute course of the disease lasts no longer than eight weeks.
The inflammatory process during sinusitis can be localized in different areas, thus, sinusitis affects the maxillary sinus, sphenoiditis affects the sphenoid sinus, frontal sinusitis affects the frontal sinus, and ethmoiditis affects the mucous tissue of the ethmoid bone. In addition, sinusitis has several processes and can be: unilateral (right or left-sided), bilateral (simultaneous inflammation of the sinus on both sides of the nose), in the form of polysinusitis (inflammatory process of several cavities), monosinusitis (disease of one of the cavities), hemisinusitis ( all paranasal cavities on one side are involved), pansinusitis (an extreme stage of the disease in which all sinuses are affected).
Allergic sinusitis often accompanies allergic rhinitis; this condition is called rhinosinusitis. To diagnose the disease and prescribe timely treatment, you must consult an otolaryngologist when the first symptoms appear.
Allergic conjunctivitis: types of disease
If allergic conjunctivitis makes itself felt during plant flowering, it is said to be seasonal. In other cases, we are talking about year-round, or chronic conjunctivitis.
Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis
Allergic conjunctivitis of a seasonal nature, the treatment of which can give lasting results, occurs under the influence of pollen from an allergen plant. Therefore, sometimes the only possible solution is to change the climate zone for the flowering period. If this is not possible, treatment comes down to maximally limiting contact with the causative allergen, following a special diet, which an allergist-immunologist will help you correctly prepare, and performing hypoallergenic cleaning. Practice shows that limiting contact with an allergen does not lead to complete recovery, therefore treatment of allergies is always complex therapy, which is carried out under the supervision of a specialist.
Chronic allergic conjunctivitis
Chronic allergic conjunctivitis (another name is year-round) does not have such pronounced symptoms as seasonal conjunctivitis, but the disease can worsen at any time. And chronic inflammation in the body is always dangerous and unpredictable. Therefore, if a patient is diagnosed with year-round allergic conjunctivitis, it is hardly worth postponing treatment until better times. The disease occurs against the background of increased sensitivity to an allergen, such as house dust, food products, household chemicals, medications, contact lenses, etc.
How to avoid complications with year-round allergic conjunctivitis?
If you are diagnosed with just such allergic conjunctivitis, it is important to start treatment as quickly as possible: this will help avoid the persistent course of the disease and unexpected complications. Along with blood tests and a smear from the conjunctiva, the sick person will be offered tests for allergens, which will determine the cause of the disease. In addition, comprehensive diagnostics includes blood serum analysis for the presence of specific IgE antibodies and special skin tests. Local treatment will be prescribed only after risk factors for further development of the disease can be excluded.
Occupational allergic conjunctivitis
This form of the disease does not occur so often, and its cause is an allergen found in dust. Occupational allergic conjunctivitis can plague archival workers, livestock breeders (the source of the allergy is animal dander), construction workers (wallpaper paste, cement or paint), medical workers (latex), and wood industry workers (sawdust or formaldehyde). On weekends, symptoms decrease, but on the contrary, they intensify during working hours: this indicates the presence of occupational conjunctivitis, which, however, is not always allergic. Sometimes dust components irritate the conjunctival membrane of the eyes: only an allergist-immunologist can determine the cause of inflammation and prescribe adequate treatment. For this, as a rule, blood serum tests for the presence of IgE antibodies and skin tests are prescribed. If the diagnosis of occupational allergic conjunctivitis is confirmed, treatment begins with limiting contact with dust in the workplace. Return to work is possible when the symptoms of the disease disappear, and it is recommended to use goggles or other personal protective equipment while working.
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When should you contact an ophthalmologist?
- When complaints increase and there is no positive dynamics for several days.
- Pain in the eye.
- Deterioration of vision.
- Copious purulent and mucous discharge from the eyes.
If, in addition to eye inflammation, there are accompanying symptoms of infection (fever, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, cough), or you have had contact with someone who has COVID-19 in the last 2 weeks, you should be wary of a possible coronavirus infection.
In conclusion, I would like to note the importance of frequent and proper hand washing. Avoid touching your eyes and face with your hands.
Author:
Gasanova Zamira Elmanovna , ophthalmologist
Diagnostics: what tests need to be taken?
This disease is diagnosed by a pediatric ophthalmologist and allergist. To develop a treatment plan, the following are prescribed:
- microscopy of lacrimal substance;
- skin tests;
- general blood analysis;
- analysis for determining the content of IgE (total) in blood serum Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2669271 Akil H, Celik F, Ulas F, Kara IS Dry Eye Syndrome and Allergic Conjunctivitis in the Pediatric Population. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2015 Oct-Dec;22(4):467-71
Eye drops
Eye drops for allergic conjunctivitis are usually sold over-the-counter for short-term daily use of two weeks or less, or by prescription for longer-term use.
The types of eye drops recommended for allergic conjunctivitis usually contain antihistamines or mast cell membrane stabilizers.
Both histamines and mast cell membranes are involved in the allergic reaction; antihistamines and mast cell membrane stabilizers reduce their effect and thereby the severity of the reaction.
Causes of the disease
Allergic rhinitis occurs as a result of the immune system “incorrectly” reacting to allergens as if they were potentially harmful agents. The immune system synthesizes antibodies to fight allergens. Antibodies are special proteins that are found in our blood and are normally released by the immune system to fight viruses and infections that can harm us. When small allergen particles come into contact with the mucous membranes of the patient's nose and throat, antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) are released. They affect the release of chemicals from blood cells (including the main one - histamine), which leads to the development of symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Histamine causes most of these symptoms, including: swelling of the lining of the nose, which blocks breathing and leads to nasal congestion; and excess mucus secretion, which manifests itself in the form of sneezing attacks and nasal discharge.
Allergic rhinitis is caused by inhaling small allergen particles.
Treatment at home
The following home remedies and over-the-counter treatments may help relieve the discomfort caused by conjunctivitis:
- Protect yourself completely from the allergen
- Avoid using contact lenses until the conjunctivitis resolves
- Use lubricating eye drops, these are called artificial tears.
- Avoid using eye makeup until the conjunctivitis goes away
- Use a cold compress
Allergy testing
If the exact cause of allergic rhinitis remains unknown, your doctor may order the following allergy tests:
- Skin prick testing (prick test)
- allergens are applied to the inner surface of the forearm, and then the application site is pierced with a scarifier. A positive reaction and the presence of an allergy are indicated by redness, swelling, and itching at the injection site. - Laboratory diagnostics
- measuring the amount of specific immunoglobulins E (IgE) against various allergens in the blood. If an increased level is detected, an allergic reaction to a specific allergen is possible.
Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis
An important step in the treatment of rhinitis is to identify the causative allergen(s) and eliminate/reduce exposure to them (if possible). Mild forms of episodic and seasonal allergic rhinitis usually respond well to treatment with antihistamines used “on demand” or for a certain period of time. More severe cases may require treatment with a corticosteroid spray or a combination with antihistamines.
To make a preliminary diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, it is often sufficient for the patient to describe the typical clinical picture, as well as the presence of allergies in relatives and other allergic diseases in the patient himself. It is necessary to identify precipitating factors that may trigger the reaction, as well as the time and place of onset of symptoms. The diagnosis is confirmed after the start of treatment. If there is a positive response to antihistamines, then the likelihood that allergic rhinitis is very high. If the response to treatment is absent or mild, or there is no clear connection between symptoms and exposure to certain allergens, the doctor may refer for further diagnostics.
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis photo
Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis is also a rare inflammatory disease that mainly affects young people, especially boys, in warm weather conditions. It can be seasonal or perennial (year-round), with symptoms typically worsening in the spring.
Diagnosis and treatment of sinusitis
Sinusitis is a dangerous disease in terms of the development of possible complications from surrounding tissues. Among them:
- osteomyelitis;
- otitis;
- conjunctivitis;
- optic neuritis;
- thrombosis of cerebral vessels;
- periostitis of the orbit;
- orbital phlegmon.
Thus, it is extremely important to diagnose correctly and formulate appropriate treatment. X-ray and ultrasound methods are used to diagnose the disease. To exclude the possibility of complications, MRIs of the brain are also performed. Therapeutic instructions for sinusitis should be made exclusively by an otolaryngologist. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. Among the methods used to treat allergic sinusitis, the most common are:
- avoiding contact with the allergen;
- use of antibiotics;
- use of immunostimulants and antihistamines;
- local vasoconstrictor drugs;
- manipulations aimed at freeing the sinuses from exudate (performed exclusively by a medical specialist);
- physiotherapy (as prescribed by a doctor).
