How is the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis

Allergies today no one is surprised.And if earlier, talking about allergies, we had in mind skin rashes or itching, today irritation can affect both the skin and the surface of the mucosa and, in particular, the eyes.Such lesions are very diverse in nature, but they are all called allergic conjunctivitis.

Definition of disease

The mucous membrane, like the surface of the skin, plays an important protective role and has high restorative capacities.However, in some cases, an adequate response to external effects is disrupted, and immune cells begin to attack completely innocuous microparticles, thereby causing allergic irritation.

If you do not react in time, the allergy can have unfortunate consequences, especially when it comes to respiratory organs.However, eye irritations (most often conjunctival) are able to cause a lot of trouble, as they break the habitual way of life.

Allergic conjunctivitis is diagnosed in 15% of the population, and among the allergic lesions the eye ranks first (up to 90%). Allergic blepharitis, keratitis, eyelid lesions, uveitis, neuritis, retinitis are much less common.

Causes

The causes of allergic lesions of the conjunctiva are numerous and varied. Depending on their nature, the following types of disease are distinguished:

• Spring.Appears exclusively in the spring, an obligatory condition is the abundance of sunlight;
• Pollinosed.Develops as a reaction to the pollen of flowering plants;
• Drug.Occurs when taking some medications;
• Large papillary (hyperpapillary). Develops due to prolonged contact of mucous and foreign body (contact lens);
• Tuberculosis-allergic.It is a consequence of irritation of the mucous products of vital activity of tuberculous mycobacteria, which penetrate into all organs with a blood stream;
• Infectious-allergic. Appears when the organism is intoxicated after infection;
• Chronic.Caused by constant contact with the stimulus.

Types of allergic conjunctivitis

Allergic irritation can be strong or weak, permanent or temporary, but it always appears only after contact with the allergen.In the role of these stimuli can act:

• Various household chemicals;
• Wool of domestic animals, birds feather;
• Dust mites, as well as spores of mold fungi;
• Poplar fluff, pollen of flowering plants;
• Cosmetic and perfumery means;
• Liquids for disinfection of lenses;
• Some drugs medications.

In rare cases, allergic conjunctivitis may occur as a reaction to animal feed, certain foods or volatile compounds.

Symptoms

The severity of the symptoms of the disease, as well as their speed, depends entirely on the amount of the allergen that has got into the body and the strength of the protective reaction.Therefore, there are slow reactions (appearance of symptoms in 1-2 days) and immediate (signs are manifested no later than, hours).

The main symptoms are:

• Itching in the eyelids and burning in the eyes;
• Severe lacrimation;
• Redness and swelling of the eyelid and conjunctiva edges;
• Increased eye fatigue;
• Hypertrophy of follicles of the lower eyelid or papillae of the upper eyelid.

Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis

If you do not react in a timely manner, the disease progresses, along with a decrease in the production of tear fluid, new symptoms appear:

• Sensation in the eyes of a foreign body;
• Photophobia, the desire to hide in a dark room or close your eyes;
• When the eye moves, there is a sharp pain;
• Temporary decrease in the quality of visual perception due to increased symptoms.

If it is wrong to behave (rubbing your eyes, trying to get rid of unpleasant sensations), then the probability of joining a bacterial infection is high.And in this case there is a new symptom: the formation of purulent discharge in the corners of the eyes, especially in the mornings.

In case of allergic manifestations on the conjunctiva, allergic reactions of the nasal mucosa may occur. In this case, there are frequent numerous sneezing, copious discharge from the nose (usually transparent) and irritation of the skin around the nasal passages.

Severe signs have a full-fledged conjunctivitis: corneal lesions, skin rash, asthmatic bronchitis, dyspepsia, Quincke's edema.

Allergic reactions can cause serious complications of the general plan in the absence of immediate reaction to irritation.

Possible complications

In most cases, with timely diagnosis and correct treatment, the outcome of the disease is favorable.However, the lack of timely therapy can cause serious eye pathologies:

• Injury of the cornea and conjunctiva during scratching.Especially cautious should be the parents of small children who can not control their reactions;
• Atrophy of the conjunctiva.The disease can occur when the functionality of the epithelial cells caused by an allergic reaction is impaired;
• Bacterial conjunctivitis. It is an invariable companion of allergy in the case of non-observance of personal hygiene. As the development of the disease occurs a decrease in immunity, the attachment of bacterial infection occurs in most cases;

• Keratoconjunctivitis.Inflammatory processes with prolonged course can affect the cornea. In this case, there is a serious risk of impaired visual acuity and even complete blindness (when forming a thorn).

Even an insignificant degree of irritation in the absence of adequate treatment can be transformed into serious problems, and the eyes are necessary for a full life more than any other organ feelings. Therefore, a visit to the ophthalmologist should be immediate.

Treatment

When choosing a therapeutic tactic for any allergic irritation, the main thing is to find out the nature of the allergy and limit contact with the stimulus. When diagnosing a doctor, in addition to examining and interviewing the patient, conducts traditional ophthalmological examinations (visometry, biomicroscopy), and also assigns special diagnostic methods:

• General examination of blood;
• Blood test for antibodies;
• Skin scarification tests;
• Prik tests.

Conducting a prik-test for allergens

Medication Therapy

After finding out the nature of allergic irritation, the doctor makes a scheme of drug treatment with the use of drugs from the following groups:

• Antihistamines:Loratadin, Zirtek, Tsetrin, Claritin, Telfast. Medicines are taken orally with a mandatory age distinction;
• Membrane stabilizing drops:Zaditen (ketotifen), Lecrolin (Kromogeksal);
• Histamine receptor blockers:Histimet, Opatanol, Vizin allerzhi, Allergodil (Azelastin);
• Stabilizers of mast cells:Kromoekshal, Lecrolin, Hai-krom, Crom-Allerg, Lodoxamid;
• Slezozameniteli:Innoksa, Oftolik, Oftogel, Defislez. They are used for tearing disorders mainly in old age;
• Vitamin drops:Taufon, Emoksipin, Khrustalin, Quinaks. Obligatory in application when involved in the inflammatory process of the cornea;

Vitamin drops "Taufon"

• Corticosteroid drops:with hydrocortisone or dexamethasone. They are means of "heavy artillery" and are used in the most severe cases, since the use of hormonal preparations must always be justified and strictly dosed;
• Anti-inflammatory drops with diclofenac. Can be appointed to eliminate the effects of inflammation.

The final stage of therapy is immunostimulating treatment, which is selected strictly individually taking into account the state of health of the patient, his age, the presence of chronic somatic diseases.

Folk remedies

To be treated with home remedies, diagnostics are still necessary, since special care must be taken in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.Of the folk remedies, mainly anti-inflammatory drugs are used:

• Pour 200 ml of boiling water 2 hours. l. marigold flowers, soak on a small fire for 30 minutes. and use a strained infusion for lotions and washes;
• Dilute fresh aloe juice in a 1: 10 ratio with boiled water and use for washing;
• Make a solution of honey in boiled water (1: 5) and dig in 2 drops in the morning, afternoon and evening;
• Grind the dried hips and pour 1 hour. l. raw 100 ml of boiling water, insist at least, h., apply as lotions on the eyes;
• Grasshopper in the amount of 3 hours. l. pour 200 ml of boiling water, allow to stand on low heat for 30 minutes, insist, filter and rinse the eyes;
• Comfrey, cornflower, nettle and marigold mixed in equal parts. 1 hour l. mixture pour 100 ml of boiling water, insist until warm. Strain and use for washing;
• Brew for 1 hour. l. dried chamomile flowers 250 ml boiling water, insist to partial cooling, strain, use for compresses and washes;

• To eliminate itching and burning, use cold potato compresses: grind potatoes on a fine grater, apply on gauze, gently apply to the eyes for 20 minutes. At the same time, put a hot, wet towel on the back of your neck;
• Use for washing solutions of baking soda (1 h. l. on, Art. water).

Since most plant components have an allergenic effect, consultation of an ophthalmologist or allergist is desirable, and with a strong degree of symptoms - is mandatory.

Prevention

If certain preventive measures are followed, then a complete cure or, at most, suppression of most of the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis:

• Limitation or elimination of possible exposure to an allergen;
• Use sunglasses when going out;
• When the disease worsens, limiting or eliminating the use of contact lenses;
• Following the rules of personal hygiene;
• Limitation of contact of hands and eyes;
• Use during the treatment of disposable napkins and pipettes (or sterilization);
• The exclusion of contacts with other people's personal belongings: cosmetics, towels, handkerchiefs, eye drops.

Since the nature of the body's allergic reaction is still not fully understood, all prevention efforts are aimed at suppressing the already existing symptoms. The most effective measures to prevent the development of allergic conjunctivitis are any measures that help strengthen the body's defenses. And also a healthy lifestyle, the main point of which is a full and balanced diet.

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conclusions

Allergic conjunctivitis with timely and correct diagnosis and condition of adequate treatment can be completely cured.However, an obligatory condition in this case is the exclusion of contact with the allergen.

Self-medication with allergic inflammation of the mucous eye is fraught with serious consequences that may threaten partial or complete loss of visual perception.That's why you should not wait until the allergic reaction starts to progress and reduce the quality of life. In any case, a visit to the doctor at an early stage of the disease will be able to achieve the best results in treatment.

Read also about acute conjunctivitis: ICD code 10: H10.2