Ocular Rosacea

Ocular rosacea (pronounced rose-ay-shah) is a contraindication for all refractive surgery techniques until treated and managed. Even after management, having refractive surgery with ocular rosacea may not be wise because of the possibility of reoccurring outbreaks.

Rosacea is a potentially progressive neurovascular disorder that can present as a combination of skin symptoms including redness of the face, flushing, the presence of small blood vessels ("broken" blood vessels), acne, occasional surface irregularities of the nose (called rhinophyma), and symptoms of redness. Rosacea blood vessels undergo changes in function and become hyper-responsive to internal and external stimuli. These changes are ultimately responsible for the progression of all rosacea symptoms. When it affects the eyes it is called ocular rosacea.

Ocular rosacea can affect both the eye surface and eyelid. Symptoms can include redness, dry eyes, foreign body sensations, sensitivity of the eye surface, burning sensations and eyelid symptoms such as styes, redness, crusting and loss of eyelashes. Ocular rosacea can leave the eyes feeling irritated and "gritty".

Many who have rosacea mistakenly think they have allergies.

Use of prescription steroid based eye drops will usually help improve this condition. More severe cases may require oral tetracycline or minocin. Rosacea is more common in individuals with fair complexions, with women affected at a higher rate than men. Patients who are from ethnic backgrounds such as Great Britain (including Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Germany and Scandinavia tend to be more likely candidates, although anyone can develop rosacea. This disease typically develops anywhere between the ages of 30-50. What causes rosacea is still unknown. We do know that the skin form of rosacea is more common in patients who had significant acne earlier in life or have a family history of rosacea.

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 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 scalp, ears and torso. It does not usually involve red bumps as in Rosacea.

Just to confuse things further, the two conditions are often seen together.

A "cure" in the traditional sense is not readily available, however symptoms can normally be reduced to a manageable level. There are plenty of treatment options. An evaluation by an ophthalmologist and/or dermatologist is advised.

If you are ready to choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, NearVision 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.

If this article did not fully answer your questions, use our free Ask Lasik Expert patient forum.

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Current Ocular Rosacea Medical Journal News...

Topical PRK 124 (0.125%) lotion for improving the signs and symptoms of rosacea.

Related Articles

Topical PRK 124 (0.125%) lotion for improving the signs and symptoms of rosacea.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2009 May;8(5):459-62

Authors: Ortiz A, Elkeeb L, Truitt A, Hindiyeh R, Aquino L, Tran M, Weinstein G

BACKGROUND: Current treatments for acne rosacea are often associated with unsatisfactory outcomes and adverse effects. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and tolerability of a new moisturizing lotion for improving the clinical signs and symptoms of mild-to-moderate acne rosacea. METHODS: In a 12-week, open-label study, a moisturizing lotion containing furfuryl tetrahydropyranyladenine as PRK124 (0.125%, Pyratine-XR, Senetek PLC, Napa, CA) was applied twice daily to subjects with mild-to-moderate rosacea. Improvement in the appearances of erythema and papules were assessed by the treating physician. Skin barrier function was measured by transepidmal water loss after treatment. Tolerability and cosmetic outcome were evaluated by patients. RESULTS: Twenty-one participants completed the study. Overall clinical improvement was observed in 80% of subjects, with most showing mild-to-moderate improvement. Erythema, papule counts, and telangiectasia were reduced. The reduction in TEWL was significant at weeks 4 (p = 0.01), 8 (p < 005), and 12 (p < 0.001). Rosacea symptoms (burning, stinging, dryness) were progressively reduced, with reduction in dryness achieving statistical significance at weeks 4 (p = 0.035), 8 (p = 0.037) and 12 (p = 0.016). Treatments were well tolerated and cosmetic outcomes were acceptable. Treatment-induced irritation was not observed. CONCLUSION: The new moisturizing lotion containing furfuryl tetrahydropyranyladenine as PRK124 shows a continued trend toward improvement of skin barrier function and the appearances of erythema and papules associated with mild-to-moderate rosacea during 12 weeks of treatment.

PMID: 19537369 [PubMed - in process]