Relationship between refraction and allergic conjunctivitis

Abstract

Purpose: External allergens are the main causative factor in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases; however, little is known about internal factors such as the biometrical structure of the eye. We investigated the relationship between refractive error and allergic conjunctivitis in order to reveal possible insights into the pathogenesis in 1015 subjects. Methods: The patients were divided into four groups: contact lens wearers with allergic conjunctivitis (n=73), contact lens wearers without allergic conjunctivitis (n=59), non-contact lens wearers with allergic conjunctivitis (n=224), and non-contact lens wearers without allergic conjunctivitis (n=659). The spherical power, cylindrical power, corneal radius, and minimum and maximum corneal refractive powers were measured in all subjects. Results: In the non-contact lens wearers, the spherical equivalent and spherical power were significantly lower in patients with allergic conjunctivitis than in patients without allergic conjunctivitis (-3.01±3.83 D vs-1.36±3.08 D, P<0.0001, and -2.64±3.63 D vs-1.05±2.88 D, P<0.0001, respectively), while there was no significant difference in any of the parameters between the contact lens wearers with and without allergic conjunctivitis. Conclusion: Refractive error may be a risk factor for allergic conjunctivitis. © 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.