title: [Management of allergic conjunctivitis. An observational study among ophthalmologists].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the management of allergic conjunctivitis in private ophthalmology practice and to evaluate the collaboration between ophthalmologists and allergists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter retrospective study. Each ophthalmologist was required to collect demographic and clinical data from the records of 10 patients with a 2- to 3-year history of allergic conjunctivitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 353 records were interpretable, corresponding to 885 visits. Slightly more than 60% of patients had a history of allergy (rhinitis, asthma or cutaneous allergy), and 40% of patients had had allergy testing. Fewer than 2% of patients had seen an allergist. Analysis of presenting symptoms reveals that itching, burning, tearing, photophobia and discomfort led frequently to the diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis. This was confirmed through the interview concerning the circumstances of symptom development (most frequently involving exposure to trees and flowers) and ophthalmologic examination (presence of hyperemia, follicles, watery discharge, chemosis). The presence of non-specific symptoms such as ocular dryness was relatively frequent in association with perennial conjunctivitis. Over 95% of patients were given a topical treatment while fewer than 10% were referred to an allergist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allergic conjunctivitis, particularly seasonal, is easily identifiable by an ophthalmologist. Perennial and more serious forms of conjunctivitis could be referred to an allergist more frequently.
authors.affiliation: Service ophtalmologie, hôpital Gabriel-Montpied, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, 58, rue Montalembert, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France. Electronic address: fchiambaretta@chu-clermontferrand.fr.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiambaretta
authors.affiliation: Service de santé publique, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, 1, rue Lucie-Aubrac, 63100 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerbaud
authors.affiliation: Unité d'allergologie de l'enfant, CHU Estaing, 1, rue Lucie-Aubrac, 63100 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fauquert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Allergie; Allergy; Conjonctivite; Conjunctivitis; Diagnosis; Diagnostic; Traitement; Treatment