Ocular allergies: association with immune dermatitis.

PURPOSE: To describe the type of skin involvement that patients with ocular allergies are prone to suffer due to the atopic association of the condition.

METHODS

Review of the published literature and retrospective data from our patient series.

RESULTS

Patients with ocular allergies may have skin affected with one or several combinations of the following dermatologic problems: contact dermatitis, urticaria/angioedema, and atopic dermatitis, with secondary infections as a possible consequence of this later disorder. Other rare skin disorders have been occasionally reported in association with ocular atopy.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ocular allergies may have a spectrum of 'allergic' skin problems, the most severe of which is atopic dermatitis. Ocular surface involvement in atopic dermatitis should be diagnosed as atopic keratoconjunctivitis, a sight-threatening disorder, until proven otherwise.