I'll try to remember that on my next trip to the ER because I breathed in some perfume or whatever, and now can't breath at all with my throat closed shut! Sorry - too many people don't take it seriously around here, and some of us suffer terribly! Non-contact allergies - they walk into my room and I feel the airways start to close - and I never touched them! -----Original Message----- From: "CPMC Ophthalmic Diagnostic Center" <cpmceyelab@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, October 8, 2013 1:50pm To: "'optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [optimal] Allergies and Sensitivities My fellow collegues Let us use caution with our terminology. A case of anaphylactic shock, or even a simple case or urticaria (hives) attributed to a perfumed substance IN THE AIR has not been documented in the literature. The term “allergy” is casually used in our descriptive world. Now, do not confuse this assertion with perfumes in general. Contact dermatitis could definitely produce a severe reaction in a sensitized individual if they placed the substance on their skin. People get easily confused between a sensitive nose and an allergic sensitivity. Pollen in the air is also a CONTACT allergy with a substance in the air. Least we confuse our terminology. True allergies are actual histamine reactions involving mast cells. Denice Barsness, CRA, COMT, ROUB, CDOS, FOPS Ophthalmic Diagnostic Center CPMC Department of Ophthalmology 2100 Webster Street Suite 212 San Francisco CA 94115 (415) 600-3937 FAX (415) 600-6563