Ocular Rosacea—a Review

Abstract

Ocular rosacea, a disease often associated with acne rosacea, can present with a variety of clinical features, which are often nonspecific. However, in about one-third of cases, it may occur as an isolated entity without skin involvement. Appropriate diagnosis and management is essential as potentially sight-threatening corneal involvement can occur in a significant number of patients if the condition remains unrecognized and untreated. Diagnosis remains mainly clinical and includes recognition of the commonly occurring signs of chronic blepharoconjunctivitis, lid margin telangiectasis,meibomian gland dysfunction, dry eyes, and corneal involvement in the form of vascularization, infiltration, and even perforation. Management depends on the severity of the disease, with milder forms being amenable to treatment with local measures like lid hygiene and topical lubricants, while more severe forms require treatment with systemic drugs including tetracyclines, azithromycin, erythromycin, or metronidazole and more aggressive local therapy with topical steroids and/or topical cyclosporine. Surgical treatment may be required to manage the sequelae of chronic ocular surface inflammation.

Evaluation of the relationship between cutaneous subtypes of acne rosacea and ocular findings with meibography

“…This condition is usually overlooked by clinicians. Ocular rosacea may occur independently from cutaneous findings in about one-third of cases (14,15). The severity of cutaneous findings has not been related to ocular involvement.…”

Papulopustular and Ocular Rosacea with an Alleged Coincidence of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report

“…The diagnosis of ocular rosacea is established by the presence of at least two of these clinical signs, including facial symptoms of rosacea, conjunctival or eyelid disorders, posterior blepharitis with conjunctival hyperemia, follicular and papillary conjunctivitis with or without scars, corneal disease, marginal ulcers with perforation, pseudo-pterygium or corneal neovascularization, and the presence of infiltrates or scars [8, 9]. In this patient, the diagnosis of ocular rosacea is established based on the findings of physical examination conducted by the ophthalmologist; they included meibomian gland disorders, conjunctivitis, corneal scars, and corneal neovascularization.…”

Acquired causes of eyebrow and eyelash loss: A review and approach to diagnosis and treatment

“…15 Facial rosacea with erythematotelangiectatic and papulopustular are often present, but a third of ocular rosacea cases have no cutaneous involvement or these may develop later. 16 Other symptoms of ocular rosacea include chronic conjunctivitis, chalazia, meibomian gland dysfunction, dry eyes, or corneal involvement. Seborrhoeic blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction may cause eyelid erythema, eyelash crusting and loss.…”