Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the symptoms, severity, and impact on quality of life of ocular allergy in children and adolescents followed up in referral centers in Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional, observational study carried out in three referral centers for pediatric allergy in children and adolescents (5-17 years) diagnosed with ocular allergy. Clinical data was obtained from the medical records. Patients scored the intensity of their ocular and nasal symptoms using a visual analog scale. The impact of ocular allergy on their quality of life was assessed using a specific questionnaire (Quality of Life in Children with Keratoconjunctivitis - QUICK) and the EQ-5D visual analog scale. RESULTS: 196 participants were included, 37.8% with vernal or atopic keratoconjunctivitis and 62.2% with seasonal or perennial allergic conjunctivitis. The most common allergic comorbidity was rhinitis. The most intense symptoms in both groups were pruritus and ocular hyperemia. The main trigger for allergic symptoms, according to patients' perceptions, was house dust. Participants with keratoconjunctivitis had a significantly lower median score on the EQ-5D than those with seasonal/perennial allergic conjunctivitis. There was a higher prevalence of medication use across all the classes investigated among patients with keratoconjunctivitis. Ocular lubricants were underused by patients, especially in the milder forms of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical presentation of ocular allergy is heterogeneous, with pruritus and hyperemia being the most common symptoms. House dust was reported as the main trigger of symptoms. Children and adolescents with keratoconjunctivitis experience higher impact on quality of life during symptomatic periods than those with seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis.