Last month we took a closer look at pollens, the instigators of
seasonal allergies. But there are more allergy-causing elements
in the world than just trees, weeds and grasses. A host of
commonly occurring substances, such as animal dander, dust
mites, insect detritus and various indoor molds can elicit
allergic reactions that include allergic conjunctivitis. What’s
more, these allergens elicit these allergic signs and symptoms
year-round. The subsequent one-two punch of seasonal and
perennial allergies has a substantial health impact. Annual
costs for allergy prescription medications alone exceeded $6
billion as recently as 2002,1 and although that dollar amount
may have declined in the past decade as many of the most popular
drugs went from prescription to generic to over-the-counter
status, disease prevalence continues to rise. An estimated 50 to
60 million Americans suffer from seasonal or perennial rhino-
conjunctivitis.2 Of these, between 60 and 90 percent experience
ocular symptoms including hyperemia,