What is the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in South India?

From the Guidelines

The prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in South India is not directly stated in the provided evidence, but it can be inferred that allergic conjunctivitis is a common condition that often accompanies allergic rhinitis, with estimates suggesting that it affects more than 75% of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis 1.

Key Points

• Allergic conjunctivitis is often associated with allergic rhinitis, and many treatments used for allergic rhinitis can benefit associated symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis 1.
• The prevalence and severity of conjunctival symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis vary depending on the aeroallergen, geographic region, and other factors 1.
• Sensitivity to pollens is more frequently associated with rhinoconjunctivitis, whereas sensitivity to house dust mites is reported to cause less ocular symptoms 1.
• Common allergens that may contribute to the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in South India include house dust mites, pollen from local flora, molds, and air pollutants.

Management

• Management of allergic conjunctivitis typically involves avoidance of triggers, artificial tears for symptom relief, and medications such as antihistamine eye drops, mast cell stabilizers, and in severe cases, short courses of topical steroids under medical supervision.
• Intranasal corticosteroids, oral antihistamines, and intranasal antihistamines have similar effectiveness in relieving ocular eye symptoms associated with rhinitis 1.
• Use of cold compresses and irrigation with saline solution or artificial tears has been advocated to relieve mild symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis 1.

From the Research

Prevalence of Allergic Conjunctivitis in South India

• The prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in South India is not directly mentioned in the provided studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• However, a study on the epidemiology of allergic conjunctivitis mentions that older population studies estimate a prevalence of 15-20% of allergic conjunctivitis, but more recent studies implicate rates as high as 40% 4.
• Another study on the epidemiological aspects of allergic conjunctivitis mentions that the geographical distribution and hot spots of rhinoconjunctivitis have been documented in a global survey by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), which may provide some insight into the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in different regions, including South India 6.
• The study also mentions that Africa, Latin America, and Japan were notable for their high prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis, but does not provide specific data on South India 6.
• A vision-threatening form of ocular allergy, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, is prevalent in African countries and Japan, but its prevalence in South India is not mentioned 6.

Regional Differences and Characteristics of Allergic Conjunctivitis

• The outcomes of follow-up studies of regional differences and the characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis are summarized in a review, which mentions that comorbid diseases and socioeconomic and environmental factors, including climate and air pollution, are proposed to contribute to the regional differences in the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis 6.
• Rhinitis has been shown repeatedly to be significantly associated with allergic conjunctivitis, and their mechanistic aspects on association with the prevalence of systemic allergic diseases have been reviewed 6.
• Air pollution was shown to contribute not only to aggravating the symptoms but also to the increase in the incidence of severe forms of allergic conjunctivitis, and its mechanistic aspects are discussed in the context of comorbid diseases 6.

Treatment of Allergic Conjunctivitis

• Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers are commonly used to treat allergic conjunctivitis, and have been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms and signs of the condition 2, 3.
• The most common comparison was azelastine versus placebo, and there was some evidence to support that topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers reduce symptoms and signs of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis when compared with placebo 2.
• The topical dual-action antihistamines/mast cell stabilizers olopatadine, azelastine, ketotifen, and epinastine are commonly used in Europe and in the United States for mild subtypes of allergic conjunctivitis 3.