Ocular rosacea: The insight

Abstract

Rosacea is a chronic cutaneous disorder with non specific and variable ocular manifestations. Ocular rosacea is often underdiagnosed, despite the potential for serious sight threatening sequelae. The study was designed to determine the incidence of ocular disease among the population of rosacea patients along with evaluating the presence of eye dryness in both the patients and controls using Schirmer 1 test. It correlated the severity of ocular disease with the severity of cutaneous rosacea. A total of 72 patients with facial rosacea were enrolled and evaluated with thorough history, physical and ophthalmological examination for ocular rosacea. Schirmer’s test was performed on all patients with ocular rosacea and controls. Out of 72 patients with facial rosacea, 30 (41.62%) were diagnosed with ocular rosacea. On the Schirmer test, ocular rosacea patients had statistically significant lower value than the control group. There was also a statistically significant difference between mean Schirmer test values of male patients and controls and female patients and controls. Symptoms of ocular rosacea are not always specific hence underdiagnosed. Ocular features of rosacea in patients presenting with mere cutaneous findings should not be overlooked.