Letter

Optometric Management, Feb 2003

Dear Colleague,

Optometric Management is proud to partner with Santen to bring you "Managing the Itch."

Ocular allergy is a serious disease that affects our patients in many ways every day, from contact lens intolerance to swelling, itching and discomfort. Unfortunately, most patients' first line of treatment is to go to the local drugstore and self-medicate with over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants. When they fail, patients then have a choice of seeing various healthcare specialists for allergy care: Family practice physicians, pediatricians and nurse practitioners are all qualified to treat allergies. It's up to us to let patients know that the family optometrist is the best professional to provide care when it involves ocular symptoms.

To help you educate and treat allergy patients, we've taken a three-tier approach to this editorial supplement. We're covering the:

* Science of allergy

* Clinical care of the allergy patient

* Marketing the allergy segment of your practice.

We've asked experts in each of these areas to present the latest thinking in a concise format, and I believe they've all done an outstanding job.

Optometrists have earned the right to prescribe allergy pharmaceuticals in all 50 states, and it's important for us to exercise that right proactively and frequently in order to foster improved ocular health in our patients.

Enjoy the supplement! Sincerely,

Neil B. Gailmard, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O. Chief Optometric Editor