Eye allergies have experienced a significant increase in our country in recent years. And specialists in ophthalmology and allergology consider that a large part of this increase is due to climate change and increased environmental pollution.
Classically, it was estimated that approximately 20% of the Spanish population suffered from some type of ocular allergy, a rate that is currently above 30% in our country.
And to deal with this problem, the interdisciplinary cooperation of ophthalmologists and allergists is key, as highlighted by the doctor José Manuel Benítez del Castillopresident of the:
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“It is essential to stop the expansion of ocular allergies and optimize their detection and therapeutic management,”
Allergic conjunctivitis, leading
Ocular allergies are inflammatory processes of immunological origin of the ocular surface. Its clinical spectrum is very varied, including:
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Allergic conjunctivitis (seasonal or perennial)
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Vernal keratoconjunctivitis
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Atopic keratoconjunctivitis.
Of all of them, as Dr. Benítez del Castillo points out:
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“The most common are seasonal allergic conjunctivitis which, in most cases, are mild”, but not always.
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“There are up to 10% of patients with eye allergies who present more serious forms, such as vernal keratoconjunctivitis (a chronic inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes) or atopic, which can cause serious disorders and compromise vision.”
Symptoms of eye allergies
The most common and frequent symptoms of eye allergies are:
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The itchy eyes.
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redness.
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Stinging.
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tearing
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Light sensitivity.
These discomforts are normally associated with allergic rhinitis and other clinical manifestations.
Lifestyle habits and climate change behind eye allergies
The increase in cases of ocular allergies is mainly due to greater immunogenetic susceptibility, greater allergenic exposure and greater environmental complexity, according to specialists.
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“Our current life habits, the greater environmental and the predominance of a ‘bubble’ way of life, which avoids regular exposure to some allergens, are driving eye allergies, which are more frequent in the urban environment and mainly affect adults of working age but also have a significant impact on children.
Some not so mild pathologies
Despite the common belief that these disorders are usually mild in nature, the Dr. Pedro Arriolaof the Ophthalmology Service of (Madrid) warns that:
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“In the face of the appearance and persistence of symptoms, it is necessary to see a doctor. These clinical manifestations should not be trivialized, they must be evaluated and treated by an ophthalmologist who, in the most serious forms, should also rely on diagnostic confirmation and therapeutic orientation of allergists”.
In addition, specialists point out that the eye allergies seriously affect the quality of life of patients (and even their relatives, especially in the case of pediatric patients) and have a huge economic impact.
Quality of life studies show that patients with ocular allergies report a worse general state of perceived health and poorer visual function. But, in addition, it is known that these allergies have a negative impact on the economic sphere.
As the Dr. Margarita Cabanasfrom the Ophthalmology Service of , the fact that allergic processes are increasing has, among many other consequences:
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Unstoppable growth in pharmaceutical spending
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An increase in comorbidity (frequently, the presence of ocular allergy is associated with other disorders, such as rhinitis, polyposis, dry eye, food allergies, other allergies,…)
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Greater unproductivity (due, above all, to the increase in work absenteeism, since most cases of ocular allergy occur in the working-age population)”.
All this without taking into account that, according to experts, it is underestimated the number of cases of ocular allergy, which generates a high rate of undertreatment.
Beware of self-medication
Another aspect that ophthalmology specialists point out in relation to this type of disease is the high rate of unsupervised self-treatment.
They warn, for example, about the frequent use of over-the-counter medications and non-pharmacological remedies that patients use to reduce discomfort.
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In these cases, self-medication can increase the risk of exacerbations and the chances of chronification of some of these ocular allergies, and even increases the risk of corneal involvement and visual loss.
For this reason, experts call for more means and greater attention to facilitate the detection and control of cases of ocular allergy.
“This would mean not only benefits in terms of health and quality of life, but also great savings for the Spanish health system,” says Dr. Benítez del Castillo.
And that would translate into betting on measures such as:
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Implementation of prevention campaigns
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Carry out new studies
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Agree on boarding protocols
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Promote multidisciplinary collaboration.