How does rosacea affect your eyes

This condition primarily causes red, itchy, and irritated eyes. Ocular rosacea is a common condition. However, instances of reoccurring symptoms are common. Of the more than 16 million people in the United States who have rosacea, more than 50 percent will experience eye-related symptoms. One source suggests the percentage affected with ocular rosacea is between 58 and 72 percent of those who have skin rosacea.

You can develop skin symptoms before eye symptoms, both conditions simultaneously, or eye symptoms before the appearance of skin symptoms.

Women are more likely to experience skin rosacea, but the ocular version appears equally in both men and women who have rosacea. The most common age group affected by ocular rosacea is those between the ages of 50 and Complications of the affected cornea can result in issues with your vision. Severe cases can result in vision loss. Similar to skin rosacea, the direct cause of ocular rosacea is currently unknown.

Ocular rosacea may be linked to one or more of the following factors:. Some people with ocular rosacea develop issues with the cornea. Cornea issues can affect the ability to see. Most doctors can make a diagnosis with a close look at the face, but ophthalmologists and optometrists frequently use a microscope that zooms in on blood vessels and glands.

Tear function tests may help a doctor to identify ocular rosacea in its early stages. Because of how often the two conditions go hand in hand, those who have a skin rosacea diagnosis should make sure to get regular eye exams. While skin symptoms are usually addressed with a topical antibiotic applied directly to the problematic areas, rosacea of the eyes is more often treated with an oral antibiotic. Tetracycline and doxycycline are commonly prescribed for this condition.

Courses of antibiotics can work within six weeks, but low-dose versions are sometimes prescribed for long periods of time. Despite oral antibiotics being the most common treatment, topical cyclosporine has been reported to improve symptoms of ocular rosacea better than doxycycline. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Dinulos JGH.

Acne, rosacea, and related disorders. Habif's Clinical Dermatology. Elsevier; Accessed May 12, Salmon JF. Ocular rosacea. The College of Optometrists. Del Rosso JQ, et al. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Patel DR expert opinion. Donnenfeld, MD Eric J. Sigler, MD Fadi Z. Perry, MD Howard J.

Kushnick, MD Jack K. Bilyk, MD Ketan G. Laud, MD Kristine J. Trachtman, MD Marnie P. Breingan, MD Peter J. Wong, MD Peter M. Shah, MD Ravi D. Patel, MD Raymond E. Mariani, OD Richard L.

Deluca, MD Richard T. Rothman, MD Robert J. Noecker, MD Ronald J. Find us on social media: Facebook LinkedIn.