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| The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional allergy advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The reader must consult a qualified specialist while considering any advice published on this web site - The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the author or Anti Allergy Products.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eye allergy products - Artificial tears |
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The tear film
is the body's natural mechanism
for protecting the surface of
the eye from various irritants
such as dust, and other airborne
particles, as well as from
infection. Tears act as a first
line of defence by diluting and
ultimately flushing the
allergens from the eye. Lack of
tears may contribute to the
allergic response.
Preservative-free eye drops
should be preferred if you plan
to use them regularly or
frequently (they are also
helpful in reducing the risk of
further allergic reactions to
benzalkonium chloride or other
preservatives)
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Decongestant / Anti histamine eye drops |
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Nutrition supplements |
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Anti histamine tablets in ocular allergy |
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A well known side effect of
antihistamine tablets are dry
eyes, which leave the ocular
surface less protected from
allergens. Antihistamine tablets
are ocular drying agents
including Benadryl (diphenhydramine),
Zyrtec (cetirizine) and
Claritin (although the newer
agents such as Zyrtec and
Allegra are less drying).
Nasal antihistamine sprays such
as Astelin do not have ocular
drying effect. Antihistamine
tablets provide a minimal
relief for allergic
conjunctivitis and may worsen
symptoms by drying the corneal
surface due to reduced tear
production. You may find more
information and expert opinion
at EyeWorld
Magazine Issue March 2007
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Topical anti histamine / mast cell stabiliser |
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 PATANOL�
ophthalmic solution (olopatadine
hydrochloride ophthalmic
solution 0.1%), also known in
many countries as OPATANOL�
solution, is the world's leading
prescription eye drop used to
treat the signs and symptoms of
allergic conjunctivitis
including itching, chemosis, redness, tearing and lid
swelling. It
is considered to be the "gold
standard" in ocular allergy
treatment. After clinical
studies the FDA expanded the
indication for olopatadine from
�temporary prevention of ocular
itching due to allergic
conjunctivitis� to �treatment of
the signs and symptoms of
allergic conjunctivitis".
Patanol is a combination of
antihistamine / mast cell
stabiliser. Although
antihistamines are useful in
reducing symptoms of itching
or watery eyes, they have no
effect on the ongoing
inflammatory allergic cascade - allergens continue
to bind to IgE, mast cells
degranulate and histamine is
released, whereas mast cell
stabilisers inhibit histamine
release and are more beneficial
in the long run, but they require
several days to weeks to achieve
a clinical effect. Mast cell
stabilizers are often used prophylactically before an exposure or
before the pollen season.
"A study examined the effect of selected antihistamines (including desloratadine, olopatadine, ketotifen, azelastine and epinastine) on model membranes. It showed that these agents except for Patanol caused disruption of the cellular membrane." (Source : New Horizons in Ocular Allergy, Review of Optometry) Patanol side effects : Patients with a medical history which includes bacterial infections of the eye, viral infections of the eye, or fungal infections of the eye should not take Patanol. "Headaches have been reported at an incidence of 7%. The following adverse experiences have been reported in less than 5% of patients: asthenia, blurred vision, burning or stinging, cold syndrome, dry eye, foreign body sensation, hyperemia, hypersensitivity, keratitis, lid edema, nausea, pharyngitis, pruritus, rhinitis, sinusitis, and taste perversion. The recommended dose is one drop in each affected eye two times per day at an interval of 6 to 8 hours" (Source : Patanol, pataday.com) |
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NSAIDs |
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| Topical NSAIDs are likely the least effective options for ocular allergy. While they may provide mild symptomatic relief, they do not directly address mast cell degranulation or the histamine response, and inhibit only a portion of the inflammatory cascade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Restasis (Cyclosporin) |
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 Restasis, approved by the FDA for moderate to severe dry eye, is a weak (0.05 percent) solution of cyclosporine, which is an immune-suppressing drug used in situations where we need to suppress a patient's overactive immune system. Low concentrations of cyclosporine in Restasis seems to be safe for long term use, as there is no detectable absorption of cyclosporine into the bloodstream. Dry eye is often associated with ocular allergies, effective dry eye treatment may help to tackle allergy symptoms as well. Cyclosporine acts by reducing inflammatory cells and increasing tear production, However when patients are already taking other anti-inflammatory eyedrops (such as corticosteroids) then the beneficial effect of Restasis on tear production is not seen. It may require several weeks of Restasis treatment (one drop twice a day) to produce a clinical therapeutic effect and it may take up to 6 months for maximum effect. Some eye specialists use Restasis for chronic allergy that does not respond well to standard therapy, especially in patients who require steroids.Long-term use of streoid eyedrops can increase eye pressure or develop a cataract. Restasis, which does not have these side effects, is often considered for long-term anti-inflammatory effect (although it is less effective than corticosteroids). You may find more information at AgingEye.net - Restasis |
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Corticosteroids |
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 The
first corticosteroid
specifically designed for
seasonal allergic
conjunctivitis, Alrex
provides
powerful relief against the
whole symptom complex
e.g.
itching, redness
or burning."Alrex has an excellent anti-inflammatory effect. Once we control it with Alrex, I�ll step down to another drug for long-term use,� Dr. Onofrey told Primary Care Optometry News. In addition to its current indication for allergic eye disease, Alrex has applications for various superficial ocular inflammatory diseases, added Dr. Onofrey. " (SOURCE : Allergy treatment: remember the standbys, consider the newer agents, PCON Supersite) "Remember, however, that steroids need to be ramped up over several weeks to reach maximal effect. Topical steroids are clinically effective primarily on late phase of the allergic reaction. They do nothing to counteract histamine release or production. Instead, they work intracellularly to inhibit production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, leukotrienes and prostaglandins, which subsequently inhibits leukocyte recruitment and activation. Topical steroids' broad anti-inflammatory effects can help as adjunctive pulse treatment with other faster-acting medications such as olopatadine (OPATANOL) when confronted with prolonged allergic response " (Source : Ocular Allergy Update, Review of Optometry) Corticosteroid side effects : "Although much safer than their systemic counterparts, topical steroids can produce many side effects, notably: Elevated intraocular pressure. Perhaps the most worrisome and misunderstood complication of topical steroids is elevated IOP. This side effect is more common with topical therapy than with oral or parenteral.6 Although increased IOP from steroids is a legitimate concern, the fear of this potential event should not be a reason to withhold these drugs. With proper knowledge of the steroid response, we can anticipate elevated IOP and effectively control it.Steroid-induced elevated IOP rarely occurs within the first two weeks of treatment.5 After this, IOP increase can occur anytime from weeks to years. Withdrawal of the steroid usually results in IOP returning to baseline in two to four weeks.7 In the interim, elevated IOP can be managed with conventional glaucoma medications, if needed. Steroid-induced elevated IOP occurs in 18% to 36% of the general population. Cataracts. Perhaps less serious than steroid-induced glaucoma is steroid-induced cataract. This is because untreated ocular inflammation also induces cataract formation which, unlike elevated IOP or glaucoma, can be wholly eliminated by surgery. Other side effects. Mydriasis, ptosis, inhibition of corneal epithelial or stromal healing, punctate staining, and corneal-scleral melting are all less common side effects of steroids. Reactivation of herpes simplex keratitis in previously infected patients has also been attributed to topical steroids." (SOURCE : Topical Steroids 101, Review of Optometry) Researchers conducted a retrospective review of 397 patients who were long-term users of Alrex (loteprednol etabonate 0.2%, Bausch & Lomb).24 Almost half the participants used the agent for one year or longer. There were no adverse effects in any of the 159 patients whose continuous use ranged from 120 to 3,741 drops per eye during the course of treatment. The authors concluded that loteprednol etabonate 0.2% ophthalmic solution is safe and effective for treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. " (Ilyas H, Slonim CB, Braswell GR, et al. Long-term safety of loteprednol etabonate 0.2% in the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. Eye Contact Lens 2004 Jan;30(1):10-3. ) |
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| Corticosteroid articles / links | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Anti Radiation Anti Glare Screen Filters |
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