Clinical forms of allergic eye manifestations: prospects of therapy

Abstract

The review presents the main clinical forms of eye allergy. The modern classification of conjunctival allergic diseases (CAD) divides them into several types according to the presence or absence of proliferative changes complicated by atopic dermatitis or mechanical artifactual irritation. These include: 1) allergic conjunctivitis (AC) without proliferative changes, including seasonal allergic conjunctivitis and chronic allergic conjunctivitis, in which the symptoms persist the whole year; 2) atopic keratoconjunctivitis, a chronic allergic conjunctival disease affecting patients with atopic dermatitis, 3) spring keratoconjunctivitis with conjunctival and proliferative changes — papillary conjunctival hyperplasia with the involvement of the cornea (superficial punctate keratitis, erosion, persistent epithelial defect, sterile corneal ulceration), 4) giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) accompanied by proliferative changes in the upper lid and the arch of the conjunctiva of the eyeball, caused by mechanical irritation factors (contact lenses, eye prostheses, or surgical sutures). To treat these conditions, the following groups of medications are used: artificial tears; topical antihistamine drugs; mast cell membrane stabilizers; dualaction drugs, preferably without preservatives, nonsteroid anti-inflammatory medications and vasoconstrictors having side effects. Olopatadin 1 mg/1 ml, preservative free (Olofadin -ECO), has certain advantages due to the fact that it combines antihistamine and membrane stabilizing action. Due to the presence of an antihistamine component in the composition, an acute reaction is stopped, while the effect of the drug is accumulated due to the presence of a membrane-stabilizing component. It is safe for long-term therapy.