[Epidemiological and clinical features of allergic conjunctivitis in a reference center].

Background: To evaluate demographic and clinical features of patients with allergic conjunctivitis in a reference center.

Methods: Prospective study using sings and symptoms graduated by standardized charts for clinical diagnosis.

Results: We evaluated 207 patients, age ranging form 1 to 45 years and of whom 131 (63.28%) were males. Of the patients, 38.65% presented vernal keratoconjunctivitis; 38.65%, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; 12.56%, perennial allergic conjunctivitis and in 10.14% patients the diagnosis was not defined. Extraocular allergy was more frequent in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (91.25%) and less frequent in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (32.5%). Family history of allergy was more frequent in patients without defined diagnosis (59.1%) and less frequent in the vernal group (28.75%). The most itense symptoms were itching and tearing in patients with keratoconjunctivitis. There was a positive correlation between symptom intensity and signs severity.

Conclusion: Chronic and severe types of ocular allergy, with potential threat to visual function, predominated in the studed group.