The available statistics indicate that many Americans have problems with varying degrees of allergies. What is an allergy? How does it work? What can be done? This article attempts to trace the literature history to the current thinking on the subject. From an optometric viewpoint, experience would suggest that a higher percentage of contact lens patients have allergies than the general population. The innocent contact lens is often held accountable for symptoms that have their etiology in diametrically opposed areas.
