Ocular rosacea: Unveiling the hidden eye disorder linked to skin disease

Every patient with rosacea should undergo a thorough eye examination. This examination aims to detect and assess any secondary changes in the eye resulting from rosacea. Recognizing these changes early is critical to preventing severe complications.

However, it doesn't necessarily indicate that ocular rosacea always accompanies its skin counterpart. It can surface independently, too.

In the case of ocular rosacea, inflammation can affect different eye structures, such as the conjunctiva, cornea, or iris. Symptoms can include redness, a burning or itching sensation, increased tearing, dry eyes, the feeling of having a foreign body under the eyelids, light sensitivity (photophobia), clouding of the cornea, and blurry vision.

Understanding the causes of ocular rosacea means acknowledging that they can arise from a variety of factors and they are complex.

Causes of ocular rosacea include:

1. Over-sensitivity to bacterial antigens, particularly from the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. These bacteria can produce toxins, further irritating the eye tissues and resulting in inflammation.
2. Dysfunction of the Meibomian glands, positioned at the eyelid edges and responsible for producing the oily part of the tear film to maintain its stability. Malfunctioning of these glands can disrupt the tear film balance, leading to dryness and irritation in the eye.
3. Reduced fatty acid content in tears. Fatty acids are crucial for eye surface health, and their deficiency can lead to conjunctival hyperemia, appearing as eye redness. Corneal damage may also follow this deficiency.
4. Invasion of staphylococcal antigens into the eye tissues. As a reaction, the body's immune system battles these antigens, developing subepithelial infiltrates. This can exacerbate irritation and worsen the eye's condition.

Comprehending these intricate mechanisms allows accurate ocular rosacea diagnosis and treatment.