Conjunctivitis commonly affects males and females of all ages.[1]American Academy of Ophthalmology. Preferred practice pattern: conjunctivitis. 2019 Jan;126(1):P94-169.
https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(18)32646-0/pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30366797?tool=bestpractice.com
It is usually treated by general practitioners and is estimated to account for almost 1% of all primary care consultations.[2]Høvding G. Acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2008 Feb;86(1):5-17.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1600-0420.2007.01006.x
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17970823?tool=bestpractice.com
In England there are 13-14 cases in 1000 people per year.[3]Manners T. Managing eye conditions in general practice. BMJ. 1997 Sep 27;315(7111):816-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9345194?tool=bestpractice.com
[4]Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Ophthalmology for general practice trainees. London: Medical Protection Society; 2001. The incidence rate appears to be higher in children aged <1 year old (80 cases in 1000 patient-years) than in children aged >4 years (12 cases in 1000 patient-years).[5]Rietveld RP, ter Riet G, Bindels PJ, et al. Do general practitioners adhere to the guideline on infectious conjunctivitis? Results of the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice. BMC Fam Pract. 2007 Sep 16;8:54.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/8/54
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17868475?tool=bestpractice.com
Up to 1.3% of the US population has been reported to have the condition.[6]Ganley JP, Roberts J. Eye conditions and related need for medical care among persons 1-74 years of age, United States 1971-72. In: DHHS, ed. Vital health statistics. Washington, DC: DHHS; 1983. In the US, 3% of all accident and emergency department visits are ocular related, with 30% of these due to conjunctivitis. Two percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for eye conditions, with 54% of these being either conjunctivitis or corneal abrasion.[7]Shields T, Sloan PD. A comparison of eye problems in primary care and ophthalmology practices. Fam Med. 1991 Sep-Oct;23(7):544-6.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1936738?tool=bestpractice.com
Similarly, seasonal conjunctivitis represents more than 90% of cases of allergic conjunctivitis.[8]Dart JK, Buckley RJ, Monnickendan M, et al. Perennial allergic conjunctivitis: definition, clinical characteristics and prevalence. A comparison with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Trans Ophthalmol Soc UK. 1986;105(Pt 5):513-20.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3467503?tool=bestpractice.com
[9]Ono SJ, Abelson MB. Allergic conjunctivitis: update on pathophysiology and prospects for future treatment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Jan;115(1):118-22.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15637556?tool=bestpractice.com
[10]Buckley RJ. Allergic eye disease: a clinical challenge. Clin Exp Allergy. 1998 Dec;28 Suppl 6:39-43.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9988434?tool=bestpractice.com
[11]Bielory L. Differential diagnoses of conjunctivitis for clinical allergist-immunologists. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007 Feb;98(2):105-14; quiz 114-7, 152.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17304876?tool=bestpractice.com
[12]Choi SH, Bielory L. Late-phase reaction in ocular allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Oct;8(5):438-44.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18769198?tool=bestpractice.com
An online survey in 2015 in the US found that the majority of patients with seasonal conjunctivitis report moderate to severe symptoms that significantly impair their quality of life.[13]Meltzer EO, Farrar JR, Sennett C. Findings from an online survey assessing the burden and management of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in US patients. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2017 May-Jun;5(3):779-89.e6.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221321981630544X?via%3Dihub
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27914815?tool=bestpractice.com
Perennial conjunctivitis is less common, but 80% of these patients have seasonal flares.[8]Dart JK, Buckley RJ, Monnickendan M, et al. Perennial allergic conjunctivitis: definition, clinical characteristics and prevalence. A comparison with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Trans Ophthalmol Soc UK. 1986;105(Pt 5):513-20.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3467503?tool=bestpractice.com
Atopic allergic conjunctivitis disease is more common in adults, and vernal allergic conjunctivitis (a more severe, chronic form of allergic conjunctivitis) is more common in boys. Atopic and vernal conjunctivitis together represent 2% of ocular allergic disease; atopic dermatitis occurs in 3% of the population, and 25% of these have ocular involvement.[9]Ono SJ, Abelson MB. Allergic conjunctivitis: update on pathophysiology and prospects for future treatment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Jan;115(1):118-22.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15637556?tool=bestpractice.com
[10]Buckley RJ. Allergic eye disease: a clinical challenge. Clin Exp Allergy. 1998 Dec;28 Suppl 6:39-43.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9988434?tool=bestpractice.com
[11]Bielory L. Differential diagnoses of conjunctivitis for clinical allergist-immunologists. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007 Feb;98(2):105-14; quiz 114-7, 152.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17304876?tool=bestpractice.com
[12]Choi SH, Bielory L. Late-phase reaction in ocular allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Oct;8(5):438-44.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18769198?tool=bestpractice.com
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