Seborrheic dermatitis is a disease that causes flaking of the skin. It usually affects the scalp, but may involve the presence of somewhat greasy flaking involving the area composed of the forehead, nose and around the mouth, crusts, scales, itching and occasionally burning, and may also be found on the ears and torso.
In adolescents and adults, it is commonly called "dandruff." In babies, it is known as "cradle cap." Seborrheic dermatitis can also affect the skin on other parts of the body, such as the face and chest, and the creases of the arms, legs and groin. Seborrheic dermatitis usually causes the skin to look a little greasy and scaly or flaky.
Seborrheic Dermatitis and rosacea are closely related, they both involve inflammation of the oil glands. Rosacea also involves a vascular component causing flushing and broken blood vessels. Seborrheic Dermatitis It does not usually involve red bumps as in Rosacea.
Just to confuse things further, the two conditions are often seen together.
Because seborrheic dermatitis disrupts the oil glands, it may contribute to dry eyes. conventional or custom wavefront Lasik and All-Laser Lasik commonly induce temporary dry eyes during the normal six-month healing period. PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik may cause dry eyes, but it is much less common and much less sever when it occurs. CK is not normally associated with dry eyes, in fact excessive tearing is a know temporary side effect of CK. P-IOL and RLE are lens-based techniques that do not normally affect eye tearing.
As a (very) general rule, if you have seborrheic dermatitis but do not have dry eye problems, then the seborrheic dermatitis would probably not affect refractive surgery one way or the other. Full evaluation of eye tearing is needed prior to surgery.
If you are ready to choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, CK, RLE, or any refractive surgery procedure, we highly recommend you consider a doctor who has been evaluated and certified by the USAEyes nonprofit organization. Locate a USAEyes Evaluated & Certified Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Doctor.
