[New aspects in drug therapy of ocular allergies]

Ophthalmic allergoses belong to highly prevalent ocular diseases. According to the records of the first center of allergic diseases of the eye set up in 1971 at Helmholtz Institute of Ocular Diseases in Moscow, the most prevalent clinical forms are seasonal pollenosis conjunctivitis, drug allergies, spring keratoconjunctivitis, large-papillary conjunctivitis, chronic allergic conjunctivitis, allergy associated with the "dry eye" syndrome, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, and ocular involvement in systemic immune diseases. Therapy of ocular allergies is based on the three main principles: removal of the allergen responsible for disease, immunotherapy, and symptomatic drug therapy. The main agents used in local antiallergic therapy are antihistaminic drugs (antasoline and acelastin), drugs inhibiting mast cell degranulation (chromoglycates and lodoxamide), and accessory drugs: corticosteroids (dexamethasone and deosonide), nonsteroid antiinflammatory agents (diclofenak), immunosuppressants (cyclosporin), and vasoconstrictors (tetrisoline). Antiallergic drugs can be used as monotherapy or in combinations, as they differ by the mechanism of action. Antiallergic drugs are used with good results in combined therapy of infectious conjunctivitis and keratitis.