The diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis is frequently made in many cases of nonspecific ocular surface inflammatory disease in children. This is perhaps a result of the difficulties encountered in obtaining a history and in performing a satisfactory eye examination in pediatric patients. Allergic disease in some form, however, affects as many as 25% of the pediatric population. Ocular allergies are certainly very common. In one study of 5000 allergic children, 32% had ocular disease as the single manifestation of their allergies.<sup>24 Marrache F., Brunet D., Frandeboeuf J. , et al. The role of ocular manifestations in childhood allergy syndromes Review of French Allergol Immunology Clinics 1978 ;  18 : 151

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> It is not surprising that a diagnosis of ocular allergic disease is made so frequently. Clinicians must be aware of the many other causes of ocular inflammation specific to the pediatric population. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of the myriad causes of the “red eye” will result in a specific diagnosis in most cases.

Pediatric conjunctivitis, often benign and self-limited, is usually caused by bacteria, viruses, or allergy. The differential diagnosis of conjunctival inflammation includes nasolacrimal duct obstruction, trauma, corneal abrasions, and uveitis. Herpes simplex infection and infantile glaucoma also must be considered. Allowing these conditions to go undetected may result in serious visual consequences. On rare occasions, conjunctivitis has been associated with serious systemic diseases, such as Kawasaki syndrome and Lyme disease.