40% of Americans have ocular allergy, with peak symptoms in June and July

Allergies give rise to the fifth-leading group of chronic diseases.

The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey III performed in the United States from 1988-1994 was the source for the data collected.


Classification of ocular allergy (click to enlarge the image).

The sample size was 20,000 patients:

- 6.4% reported ocular symptoms
- 16.5% reported nasal symptoms
- 30% reported both ocular and nasal symptoms
- 47% were asymptomatic

40% of the population reported at least 1 occurrence of ocular symptoms in the past 12 months.

Ocular symptoms are more frequent than nasal symptoms in relation to animals, household dust, and pollen.

This analysis provides the first representation of the epidemiology of ocular allergy in the United States. Up to 40% of the population, the highest reported to date, have experienced ocular symptoms at least once in their lifetime, with a peak of symptoms in the months of June and July.



Ocular antihistamines (eye drops) (click to enlarge the image).

References:

The epidemiology of ocular and nasal allergy in the United States, 1988-1994. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Oct;126(4):778-783.e6.
Image source: OpenClipArt.org.