Ocular allergies: Association with immune dermatitis

Purpose: To describe the type of skin involvement that patients with ocular allergies are prone to suffer due to the atopic association of the conditi on. Methods: Review of the published literature and retrospective data from our patient series. Results: Patients with ocular allergies may have skin affected with one or several combinations of the following dermatologic problems: contact dermat itis, urticaria/angioedema, and atopic dermatitis, with secondary infection s as a possible consequence of this later disorder. Other rare skin disorde rs have been occasionally reported in association with ocular atopy. Conclusion: Patients with ocular allergies may have a spectrum of 'allergic ' skin problems, the most severe of which is atopic dermatitis, Ocular surf ace involvement in atopic dermatitis should be diagnosed as atopic keratoco njunctivitis, a sight-threatening disorder, until proven otherwise.