Diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis.
Itching was cited as a major symptom of their ocular disease by 49 (80%) of the 61 patients with allergic conjunctivitis. Conjunctival scrapings from 51 patients (84%) demonstrated intact eosinophils or eosinophil granules. Eosinophil granules were a useful and recognizable cytologic feature of allergic conjunctivitis even in the absence of intact eosinophils. We believe that a history of itching and the presence of eosinophils or eosinophil granules in conjunctival scrapings are helpful in diagnosing allergic conjunctivitis.
D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D004804:Eosinophils; D006801:Humans; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology