Developments in ocular allergy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The goal of this article is to evaluate developments in the knowledge of inflammatory mechanisms and treatments of ocular allergy. RECENT FINDINGS Research developments in ocular allergy summarized in this article include the following findings: (1) ocular epithelial cells play a role in inflammation; (2) respiratory syncytial virus is a pathogen in allergic conjunctivitis; (3) transglutaminase inhibitors reverse allergic related inflammation; (4) eosinophils and neutrophils both play a role in ocular allergy; (5) eotaxin-1 and eotaxin-2 play a role in eosinophilic recruitment; and (6) loteprednol etabonate, desonide phosphate, and cyclosporine have been shown to be effective and safe in the treatment of ocular allergy. SUMMARY This article summarizes the research conducted for each of the above recent findings and outlines their clinical applications.