What is a common way to confirm suspected allergic conjunctivitis in patients?

Confirming suspected allergic conjunctivitis often involves assessing the pattern of symptoms over time, which includes evaluating for flares and subsides of symptoms. Allergic conjunctivitis typically presents with symptoms that may vary in intensity depending on exposure to allergens. For example, symptoms such as itching, redness, and tearing can worsen during specific seasons (like pollen season for those allergic to certain pollens) or after exposure to triggers (such as pet dander or dust mites).

Tracking how the symptoms fluctuate provides essential insight into whether allergies might be at play, as opposed to other conditions that may cause similar eye discomfort but do not exhibit the same pattern of variability. This makes the assessment of symptom flares and their subsiding a key factor in the evaluation process.

The other approaches, while potentially useful in a broader context of understanding patient health, do not specifically confirm allergic conjunctivitis. Examining for foreign bodies is more relevant in cases of trauma or irritation. Reviewing family history can provide context on potential inherited tendencies toward allergies but does not establish a current diagnosis. Performing a tonometry test, which measures intraocular pressure, is primarily used in the evaluation of glaucoma and is not relevant for diagnosing allergic conjunctivitis.