title: Diagnostic tools in ocular allergy.
abstract: Ocular allergy (OA) includes a group of common and less frequent hypersensitivity disorders frequently misdiagnosed and not properly managed. The diagnosis of OA is usually based on clinical history and signs and symptoms, with the support of in vivo and in vitro tests when identification of the specific allergen is required. To date, no specific test is available for the diagnosis of the whole spectrum of the different forms of OA. The lack of recommendations on diagnosis of OA is considered a medical need not only for allergists but also for ophthalmologists. This position paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the currently available tools for diagnosing OA to promote a common nomenclature and procedures to be used by different specialists. Questionnaires, sign and symptom grading scales, tests, and potential biomarkers for OA are reviewed. We also identified several unmet needs in the diagnostic tools to generate interest, increase understanding, and inspire further investigations. Tools, recommendations, and algorithms for the diagnosis of OA are proposed for use by both allergists and ophthalmologists. Several unmet needs in the diagnostic tools should be further improved by specific clinical research in OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Ophthalmology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7246-8580
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: Service d'Ophtalmologie, Hôpital Bichat and Fondation A. de Rothschild, Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Allergologie de l'Enfant CHU Estaing, CHU Estaing, Clermont-Ferrand Cedex1, France.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fauquert
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Rapallo Hospital Ophthalmology Department, Allergic Conjunctivitis Unit, Ocular Inflammatory Diseases Referral Center, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allegri
authors.affiliation: Pole sanitaire du Vexin, Pontoise, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marmouz
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Regional University Hospital of Malaga, IBIMA, UMA, Malaga, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rondon
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jedrzejczak
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hellings
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Basic and Clinical Immunology Unit, and Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems (CINTESIS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocular Biology & Therapeutics, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calder
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D014787:Vision Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: allergic conjunctivitis; biomarkers; diagnosis; ocular allergy; quality of life