A human model of allergic conjunctivitis

R. Stegman and D. Miller

Using the method of refractometry to measure protein concentration in tears, a simple model was developed to evaluate the allergic response in humans. Timothy grass pollen was instilled into the cul de sac of a human subject, and the protein content of the subject's tears was sampled every 15 minutes for three hours. Once the time course of this experiment was predictable, various eye medications were instilled into the subject's eye 30 minutes after allergic challenge. It was noted that 1.0% and 0.1% prednisolone, each combined with 0.12% phenylephrine hydrochloride, as well as 1% epinephryl borate eye drops, produced an almost immediate return to normal of tear protein levels, whereas 1.0% medrysone, 0.1% fluorometholone, 1.0% prednisolone, and 0.12% prednisolone had less pronounced effects on reduction of elevated tear protein concentration.