Allergy Testing In An Eye Doctors Office?
Absolutely! Research continues to substantiate the link between environmental allergens and ocular surface disease. If you suffer from dry eye related symptoms the information from allergy testing can play an important role in forming your custom treatment protocol for your eye allergies. The test is painless (no shots) and takes less than three minutes. NY LASIK is an accredited dry eye center of excellence; we offer the most advanced treatments for dry eye and ocular surface disease.
Should I Get Allergy Tested?
If You Suffer From Any Of The Following Symptoms Related To Eye Allergies, Then The Answer Is YES:
- Itchy Eyes
- Red/Bloodshot Eyes
- Watery Eyes
- Swollen Eyes
- Dark Circles under Eyes
- Congestion
- Runny Nose
- Itchy Nose
- Flakey/Red Skin
- Asthma
Why Should I Get Tested For Eye Allergies?
- 60 million American suffer from allergies – and 24 million have ocular or eye allergies
- Many people suffer for years before being tested or even realizing that eye allergies are the issue.
- Allergies interfere with your day-to-day life and can result in loss of productivity, missed work or school, and an overall poor quality of life
- Testing with DAF is the key to finding out the cause of your eye irritation and the key to treatment of ocular allergies leading chronic disease in the U.S
What Is Involved In A “Scratch” Skin Test?
A skin “scratch” test is a simple, non-invasive procedure that is tiny pricks that are made on your arm. The device contains small amounts of the 58 most common allergens in your area in addition to both a positive and negative control so we can objectively diagnose your particular allergies. If you are allergic to an allergen, a small mosquito bite-like bump will appear
Because everyone is unique in what their specific allergic triggers are, knowing what you are allergic to is important for the effective treatment of allergies.
How Are Eye Allergies Treated?
Once the eye doctor knows the allergens that are causing your symptoms, an effective treatment plan can be recommended. These treatment plans include:
Doctor’s Allergy Formula (DAF) is a comprehensive diagnostic tool designed by Ophthalmologists for Ophthalmologists to objectively diagnose the source of ocular allergies. An estimated 25-40% of all Ophthalmology patients have symptoms of Ocular Surface Disease.
Because allergens vary by geographic location, DAF has worked with the leading botanists to develop a specific regionalized proprietary panel of ocular allergens specific to your region to help you better assess ocular allergies and the associated Ocular Surface Disease.
DAF’s Ocular Allergy Diagnostic System is a simple and painless, in-office test that takes a DAF trained tech only 3 minutes to perform. Results from the test occur after 10 – 15 minutes. This FDA-approved test is fully reimbursable by all Medical Insurances using a multidisciplinary CPT code.