Fluticasone nasal spray reduces nasal-ocular reflex, controls allergic eye symptoms

Eye symptoms frequently occur in patients with allergic rhinitis and are among the most bothersome symptoms. Intranasal steroids have been shown to reduce ocular symptoms even though they do not reach the eye.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism for the efficacy of topical steroids in controlling allergic eye symptoms.

In 20 subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis, nasal challenge with antigen led to sneezing, a nasonasal, and a nasal-ocular reflex.

Treatment with fluticasone nasal spray reduced sneezing, the nasonasal and nasal-ocular reflexes, and the amount of eosinophils in nasal secretions.


Fluticasone furoate, Veramyst (US) and Avamys (EU and Canada), is different from fluticasone propionate (see below). Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.

The authors concluded that a nasal-ocular reflex follows nasal challenge with allergen and that it can contribute to the ocular symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis. These findings may support a mechanism for the efficacy of topical steroids in controlling allergic eye symptoms.


Medications for Allergic Rhinitis

References:

Fluticasone furoate nasal spray reduces the nasal-ocular reflex: A mechanism for the efficacy of topical steroids in controlling allergic eye symptoms. Baroody FM, Shenaq D, Detineo M, Wang J, Naclerio RM. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 May 8.
Steroid nose sprays improve eye symptoms of AR/AC -  mechanism unknown, might relate to naso-ocular reflex http://goo.gl/VVt8k
Intranasal corticosteroids had a positive impact on the eye symptoms of allergic rhinitis (review of 32 trials) http://goo.gl/EAmg1
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