Ocular Allergies:
The Ora Experience
Welcome to March! Spring is right around the corner and that means all the plants in your area are going to begin blooming and sharing their allergens with you. If you’ve ever dealt with red, itchy, watery eyes, you’re not alone. Eye allergies, or allergic conjunctivitis, are common conditions with irritants and triggers everywhere.
Eye allergies is a robust research field, and we are always looking for potential new treatments. But how do these new treatments get studied? This month we are going to discuss ocular (eye) allergies and explore what joining an Ora allergy study could look like. Let’s get started!
The Causes & Symptoms of Eye Allergies
First, let’s look at what causes eye allergies and the most common symptoms.
Ocular allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to an allergen, triggering the release of histamines. This causes inflammation and other bothersome symptoms. Common triggers include:
- Outdoor Allergens: Pollen from trees, grass, and weeds (seasonal allergies).
- Indoor Allergens: Dust mites, pet dander, mold, and smoke.
- Irritants: Perfumes, cleaning products, or pollution.
Eye allergy symptoms can vary in severity but often include:
- Redness and swelling.
- Itchy or burning sensations.
- Watery eyes.
- Sensitivity to light.
- Blurred vision (in severe cases)
Allergy Testing
Allergy Skin Test: A small amount of a suspected allergen is applied to the surface or just under the skin. The skin is checked within 15-20 minutes to see if a raised, itchy, red bump called a wheal has formed. This indicates a positive reaction. A positive control (histamine) and a negative control (saline) are used to make sure the results are accurate.
Conjunctival Allergen Challenge (CAC): During CAC visits, the allergen or allergens you tested positive for during the skin test will be administered to your eyes. The study doctor and staff will observe your reaction and perform follow up eye exams and ask you how itchy your eyes are to see whether you have a sufficient allergic reaction. Some visits may involve a CAC and the study treatment. On these days, the study treatment is instilled in both eyes before a CAC. Eye exams will occur following the CAC and will help to determine whether the study treatments were effective or not in reducing your ocular allergic reaction and how quickly and for how long they last.
General Exams
Some of these exams may look familiar. We covered a few of these exams in our last blog detailing what you might experience in a clinical research study.
Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA): This test measures how well you see letters from a distance. You will be asked to read letters from a chart. You’ve likely done this with your optometrist before.
Slit lamp exam: The Trial Doctor will shine a small light in your eye so they can examine it in detail.
Intraocular Pressure (IOP) Measurement: Measures eye pressure to help protect against complications.
Pregnancy Test: If you are able to become pregnant, a blood or urine test will be done to check your pregnancy status. If you are not able to become pregnant, this may be confirmed with information from your medical history.
Blood and Urine Samples: Blood and urine samples may be collected to assess that it is safe for you to take part in the clinical trial, test for infections or diseases, and to monitor your general health throughout the trial.
Tear Samples: Your tears can be collected with a test strip or a swab used on the side of your eyes. It can be valuable to evaluate how your tear composition changes in response to treatments.
Quality of Life or Drop Comfort Questionnaires: Helps the study team understand how your vision affects your daily life and how the study treatment may affect that. Or how the study treatment itself felt.
How You Can Get Involved
At Ora, we’re dedicated to improving eye health through innovative clinical trials. By participating, you can contribute to cutting-edge research while benefiting from expert care. Furthermore, you can learn more about your own eye health and get compensated for your participation. Please visit https://oraconnects.com/find-a-trial/ to find out more about our ongoing studies and see if you qualify.
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