Allergic conjunctivitis
Background
- Conjunctivitis due to exposure to an allergen
- Chronic allergic conjunctivitis is also called vernal conjunctivitis
Clinical Features
Bilateral allergic contact dermatitis caused by eyedrops (left) and after resolution (right).
Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Inverted eyelid showing mild conjunctival injection and moderate chemosis.
Acute allergic conjunctivitis.
Chronic allergic conjunctivitis.
Contact allergic blepharoconjunctivitis (from eyedrops).
- Itching
- Watery discharge
- Injected and edematous conjunctiva
- Papillae on inferior conjunctival fornix
- Red, swollen eyelids
Differential Diagnosis
Evaluation
Clinical diagnosis of conjunctivitis
| Bacterial | Viral | Allergic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilateral | 50% | 25% | Mostly |
| Discharge | Mucopurulent | Clear, Watery | Cobblestoning, none |
| Redness | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pruritis | Rarely | Rarely | Yes |
| Additional | Treatment: Antibiotics | Treatment: Hygiene | Seasonal |
Management
- Mild: avoid triggers, cool compresses for 15 minutes QID
- Moderate: Histamine-blocking drops (e.g. olopatadine, pemirolast, or ketotifen)
- Severe: refer to ophthalmology for possible steroid therapy
Disposition
- Discharge with ophthalmology follow-up
See Also
- Conjunctivitis
- Eye Algorithms (Main)
References
This article is issued from Wikem. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.