Effect of Veramyst and Olopatadine 0.2% Opthalmic Solution on Allergy Symptoms

Study Summary

People who have hayfever or allergic rhinitis often complain about eye symptoms associated with their nasal symptoms. How people with hayfever develop eye symptoms is not clear. The purpose of this study is to better understand the generation of eye symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis. We have previously shown that placing the substance that subjects are allergic to in their nose causes both nose and eye symptoms. This can be explain by a parasympathetic neurogenic reflex from the nose to the eye. Such a reflex would readily explain the tearing and watery eye symptoms, but does not explain the itch. In this study, we are going to address one possible explanation for the itch; does an axonal neurogenic reflex stimulate mast cells in the eye to release histamine, which then causes the itch? We will do this by placing an antihistamine drop in the eye and challenge the nose with allergen. We will also attempt to demonstrate that mast activation isn't effected by blocking the initiating of the reflex with a nasal steroid, as done in our previous study, and showing that the addition of an antihistamine does not add to the reduction of symptoms.

Primary Outcome

After treatment, each participant was subjected to a diluent (control) challenge in one eye and was asked to rate 2 eye symptoms (watery and itchy) according to the following scale: 0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe. The participant was then exposed to 3 doses of an antigen challenge and was asked to similarly rate severity of watery and itchy eye symptoms after each dose. Diluent challenge scores were subtracted from the scores recorded after each dose. This process was repeated in the other

Interventions

• DRUG fluticasone furoate (FF)
• DRUG PL nasal spray
• DRUG PL eye drops
• DRUG olopatadine (OLO)