title: Future directions in therapeutic interventions for conjunctival inflammatory disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review recent advances in pathogenesis and treatment of conjunctival inflammatory disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The conjunctiva becomes inflamed in a number of conditions, including allergy, atopy, dry eye, mucus membrane pemphigoid, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and surgical manipulation. Basic and clinical studies have identified a number of inflammatory mediators as potential therapeutic targets in these conditions. Additionally, new therapeutic agents and enhanced delivery systems have been evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased understanding of the key mediators of conjunctival inflammation coupled with improved drug delivery methods are leading to more effective therapy for conjunctival inflammatory disorders.
authors.affiliation: Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. stevenp@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pflugfelder
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Stern
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines