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Thimerosal: a hidden allergen in ophthalmology
Author(s) -
Tosti Antonella,
Tosti Giovanni
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1988.tb02831.x
Subject(s) - thimerosal , medicine , allergic contact dermatitis , dermatology , contact lens , eyelid , contact dermatitis , thiomersal , allergy , patch test , ophthalmology , immunology
We report 36 patients with thimerosal‐induced follicular allergic contact conjunctivitis. 18 patients had follicular conjunctivitis without eyelid involvement, while 5 patients had follicular conjunctivitis associated with an allergic contact dermatitis of the eyelids; all these patients had been using thimerosal‐containing eye drops. A further 13 patients were soft contact lens wearers who became sensitized to their own thimerosal‐containing lens solutions. All 36 patients showed a positive patch test reaction to thimerosal, while only 1 of them reacted to an ophthalmic solution. Thimerosal sensitization appears to be clinically relevant in ophthalmic patients.