PERIORBITAL ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS

Allergic contact dermatitis is one of the most frequent causes of ocular inflammation, a reason to go to the ophthalmology clinic.

Being exposed to certain medications and certain metal products, cleaning products, preservatives, and even plants, can make patients who have never developed allergic pathology, end up suffering from it.

This is because the periocular skin is a very sensitive area, since it is one of the finest body, and is also exposed to contact with hands regularly.

At the beginning, there is a sensitization to these mentioned products, and the body develops in subsequent contacts an inflammatory chain against these substances,and finally gradually causing the patient’s symptoms.

Usually, you can observe periocular skin swelling, dryness and cracking of it, and an intense sensation of itching, associated conjunctivitis and / or keratitis or corneal lesions.

Is more frequently seen in patients predisposed to atopy and allergic asthma conjunctivitis, and other allergic disorders, although it can also result in isolation in the area described.

The first thing to do is to avoid the allergen or substance causing the allergic reaction. Cosmetics and perfumes are one of the most frequent causes of this problem due to its content in Nickel, which is the most repeated of all allergens.

The available treatment is, apply cold on the area, anti-inflammatory eye drops, antiallergic or topical antihistamines and of course re-avoid the cause.

When the inflammation and peeling of the skin improves, it is very important to nourish the skin with creams free of allergens, preservatives or parabens.

There is a small number of patients with atopic dermatitis in the periocular area, elbow and knee flexures, associated allergic conjunctivitis and other allergic-type disorders, such as asthma and rhinitis, in which the cause is a chronic alteration of the immune system.

For them, immunomodulatory drugs would be indicated orally and even topically, to attack the basis of their problem … a hyperexcited immunity.