Recognizing Allergic Conjunctivitis and Allergic Vasculitis
Allergic conjunctivitis occurs when the conjunctiva becomes swollen or inflamed due to a reaction to pollen, feathers, fungus, or other allergens. The conjunctiva is a clear layer that lines the eyelids and covers the whites of the eyes.
Causes of allergic conjunctivitis
When your eyes are exposed to allergens, a substance called histamine is released by your body. The blood vessels in the conjunctiva become swollen. The eyes can become red, itchy, and watery very quickly.
Pollen that causes symptoms varies by person and region. It's hard to see small pollen that can cause fever including grass, ragweed, and trees.
Your symptoms may get worse when there is more pollen in the air. Large amounts of pollen tend to be hot, dry and windy in the summer. In winter, pollen and rain pollen falls to the ground.
Allergy tends to decrease in the family. It's hard to know exactly how many people have allergies. Many conditions are often equated with the term "allergic" even when the condition is not an actual allergy.
Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis
Symptoms may be seasonal and may include:
- itching or burning eyes
- Eyelids are swollen, especially in the morning
- Red-eye
- the presence of dirt in the eye
- watery eyes
- vessels in the clear tissue cover the white of the dilated eye (dilated)
When should you call a doctor?
Contact your doctor if you have symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis that do not respond to self-care steps and medications that are circulating in the market.
Examination and test
The doctor may check the following:
- Some white blood cells called eosinophils
- Remove small bumps on the inside of the eyelid (papillary conjunctivitis)
- Positive skin test for allergens suspected of allergic testing
Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis
The best treatment is to avoid what causes your allergic symptoms as much as possible. Common triggers to avoid include dust, mold, and pollen.
Some things you can do to ease the symptoms:
- Use eye drops lubricant.
- Apply cold compresses to the eyes.
- Use oral antihistamine drugs on the market. These medicines can relieve symptoms, but they can sometimes make your eyes dry.
If home care does not help, you may need to visit a health care provider for treatments such as:
- Antihistamine or anti-inflammatory drops
Steroid eye drops can be prescribed for more severe reactions. You can also use eye drops that prevent a type of cell called mast white blood cells from releasing histamine. These drops are given together with antihistamines. These medicines work well if you use them before you contact with allergens.
Symptoms often disappear with treatment. However, they can survive if you continue to be exposed to allergens.
Allergy vasculitis
Allergy vasculitis is an extreme reaction to a drug, infection, or foreign substance. This causes inflammation and damage to blood vessels in the skin.
Causes of vascular allergy
Allergic vasculitis is caused by an allergic reaction to a drug, infection, or other foreign substance. The thing that most often affects people from the age of 15 years. Often, the cause of the problem cannot be found even with a detailed medical history.
Allergic vasculitis may look like necrotizing vasculitis, which can affect blood vessels throughout the body.
- Symptoms of allergic vasculitis
- purple spots and patches on the skin
- Skin injuries are mostly in the legs, buttocks, or body
- blisters on the skin
- itchy patches (urticaria), can last longer than 24 hours
- open wound with dead tissue (necrotic ulcer)
Examination and test
Your doctor will base the diagnosis on the symptoms and how your skin looks after you use certain drugs or are exposed to foreign substances (antigens).
The results from the ESR test may be high. Skin biopsy shows inflammation of small blood vessels. You may also have other tests to detect this condition.
Treatment
The goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation.
Your doctor may prescribe aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in blood vessels. (DO NOT give aspirin to children unless it has been recommended by a doctor.)
Your doctor may tell you to stop taking drugs that can cause this condition. Don't stop taking medicine without first talking to your doctor.
Allergy vasculitis usually goes away from time to time. This condition can return to several people.
People with ongoing allergic vasculitis should be checked for necrotizing vasculitis.
Possible complications
- Permanent damage to blood vessels or skin with scar tissue
- Inflammation of the blood vessels affects internal organs
