Aumentando a base de conhecimento da epidemiologia da alergia ocular

In this issue of the Jornal de Pediatria, Geraldini et al. attempt to add another piece to the puzzle in order to provide additional insight into ocular symptoms associated with allergies. They used a validated instrument that focuses on the adolescent population in school with more than three episodes of ocular itching, who are more likely to have allergic rather than infectious etiologies, although it may also include a subpopulation with dry eye syndrome. The anterior surface of the eye is not only exposed to allergens such as mold spores and pollen, but also interfaces with environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, cigarette smoke, and other pollutants, which can also generate symptoms of itching, tearing, and redness that are common to allergic conjunctivitis and dry eye syndromes. The authors designed their study to parallel the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC), which provided an interesting overview of the allergyrelated symptoms, and grouped them as nasal, respiratory, and ocular allergies. One of the most unusual findings in their study was the increased correlation of ocular symptoms with asthma (more than nasal), particularly