Ocular Manifestations in Anaphylaxis. ∗

Abstract

In our experiments with guinea pigs, in which anaphylactic symptoms were induced either by subjecting sensitized animals to a dust-laden atmosphere or by parenteral injection, we have noted that there also occurs, in some cases, a suffusion of one or both eyes.

This suffusion at first is thin and watery, rapidly becoming thick and creamy, and in some cases eventuates in the eyelids becoming matted together. This suffusion lasts for half an hour and sometimes longer.

These symptoms were manifested more frequently in sensitized animals exposed to dust than in those animals injected parenterally. These manifestations were not observed in animals which died rapidly in anaphylactic shock, accounting for the greater percentage of positive results in those exposed to the dust.

Out of a total of 523 positive anaphylactic experiments, 53, or 10.1 per cent, showed these ocular symptoms. Symptoms were noted in 15.3 per cent of the dust inhalation experiments, 8.3 per cent of the experiments with intravenous injection, and 4.5 per cent of the experiments with intraperitoneal injection. (See table.)

These figures indicate that this symptom is of comparativeily infrequent occurrence.

An animal showing this eye symlptom and recovering after one anaphylactic response may manifest a similar eye reaction during a second or third anaphylactic reaction.

Further, an animal manifesting this eye symptolm after dust contact may subsequently manifest it after an intravenous injection. An interesting example of this was the case of only one animal in which a suffusion of the right eye occurred upon contact with horse dander dust, and when subsequently injected intravenously with horse dander solution, it again showed suffusion in the same eye.