Allergy testing

[brd888]

I see there is a new product for ocular allergy testing. It is called Lacrytest. It's not for home use but is done cheaply by an Optometrist. Anyone any experience of it?

Thanks
Bruce

[Lucy]

Bruce, this sounds good. What, meaning how many things are they testing you for? If "it's done cheaply", I would question how thorough it would be is all. Think of the number of ingredients that could come in contact with your eys. In products, soap, hair stuff etc.

If you are considering having this done, just ask the right questions ahead of time. Also, it would be good to know IF you have this test done, what good will it do in the end? If you are allergic to 15 things, can you eliminate all of them?

I am just questioning because usually allergy testing is done by an allergist and they test on the whole body with scratches or little needles. Let us know.
Lucy

[William53]

Hmm, this is definitely interesting. Thanks brd888 for posting and Lucy for your comments.

I'm approaching theoretical maintenance level during the next few weeks via allergy shots (so-called immunotherapy) for dust mites & cat dander identified via the standard pricking with needles method Lucy mentions. But I've wondered how/if my eyes are affected by these same allergens, or possibly other allergens. For my allergist, this seems to be an operating assumption, i.e., if it works for your lungs and your allergies, your eyes a) are also affected by the same triggers and b) will also benefit if the regimen is successful. But he's not really providing allergy test data to back this up. I have my own experience that appears to point in this direction, but I can fool myself about my eyes on pretty much a daily basis.

The FDA told the the folks who own/make Lacrytest that "..the device is substantially equivalent to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug,and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application, etc..." In other words, this test method has been around for quite awhile so you can go ahead and market it in the US. Here's link to the FDA's pre-market determination: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/conten...00001/art00024

I think the innovation Lacrytest is offering over the people who first took this to market is a one teardrop, quick test. Maybe the earlier methods involved gears, steam generators, chanting and incense. Of course I'm just guessing. ;-} Here's a snapshot of their product/process: http://www.edinburgh-eyetests.co.uk/...y_checkOLD.htm

The parent company's website doesn't seem to work: http://www.adiatec.fr/

Also, it seems like Lacrytest doesn't individually test for different allergens so much as, in their words, "..use monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to measure the total amount of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in tears through an immunochromatographic test." My limited understanding of this is that some high level of total IgE - vs. testing for specific IgE presence - provides a general red flag that eye inflammation is to some extent being generated by some allergens. Not very elegant, but even this would be useful info for me. An article abstract read on-line suggests that a bigger volume of tears would be needed to tes for specific triggers. But what you're saying Lucy about questions to ask really gets at the limits of Lacrytest and any therapy that follows - a general diagnosis can probably only justify some general strategy, e.g., Zaditor in each eye twice daily.

I will bring this up with my allergist and my opthamoplogist at next visit.