Ocular Rosacea

In one study, 20% of patients with rosacea presented first with ocular involvement, 53% of patients developed skin lesions before eye findings appeared, and the eye and skin findings were simultaneous in 27%.

Ocular findings are grouped as either minor or major.

Non-sight-threatening minor complications are more common.

One study cites ocular complications of rosacea in 58% of patients and corneal involvement specifically in 33%.

Ocular rosacea symptoms most commonly begin with foreign body sensation, pain, and burning.

The latter is a particularly common symptom.

Ocular signs include:

• lid margin telangiectasias (broken capillaries)
• chronic blepharitis
• meibomitis
• chalazia
• papillary conjunctivitis
• superficial punctate keratopathy
• corneal infiltrates and ulcerative keratitis
• episcleritis
• scleritis
• iritis and
• vitritis