An ocular allergy diagnosis is usually based on symptoms: watery, itchy, or burning eyes. Allergies may be attributed to the environment or exposure to medications, including OTC and prescription eye medications. Your doctor may ask you about pets in your home, and may also examine your for demodex mites. If your doctor suspects food or environmental allergies (e.g.: dust, pet dander, pollen) he may suggest allergy testing, and refer you to an allergist.
Allergy testing may be done in phases over the course of several weeks. An initial prick test will indicate if there are severe allergies. Blood allergy tests are more sensitive then prick tests, and may detect allergies that prick tests do not detect.
Many medicines can alter the results of skin prick tests. Always follow your doctor’s instructions as you prepare for allergy testing.
Although most insurance covers allergy testing, the problem is that the tests covered by insurers typically include a limited number of allergens. Although the list of possible allergens that are tested may seem comprehensive, countless others are never tested.
References
Diagnostic Allergy Testing
Diaz, RC.
Medscape Drugs and Diseases
Retrieved October 2, 2015
For more information, see Medscape