J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.
1999 Oct;40(10):2717-2722.
Ocular Involvement in Rosacea Patients
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Ophthalmology, Wonju Christian Hospital, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine.
- 2Department of Dermatology, Wonju Christian Hospital, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine.
Abstract
- Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease charaterized by eruption and telangiectasia of the skin and is known to be commonly accompanied by ocular involvement. But there being little data on ocular rosacea in Korea, we evaluated it's frequency and ocular manifestations. Sixty-five patients who had been dermatologically diagnosed as rosacea were referred to us from May 1997 to September 1998. Inquiries about ocular symptoms and aggravating factors, slit lamp examination, and Shirmer test had been performed on each patient.The age of the patients ranged from 15 to 68 years. Twenty-two patients were male (34%) and the other 43 were females (66%). Ocular involvement occurred in 17 patients (26%). Common ocular complaints were foreign body sensation, redness, epiphora and burning sensation. The most common ocular manifestation was blepharoconjunctivitis, meibomianitis, chalazion,conjunctival hyperemia, recurrent corneal erosion, superficial punctate keratopathy, corneal vascularization and thinning were also observed. Fifteen patinents (23%) showed abnormal response to shirmer test. Ocular involvement in rosacea is common,but all too often missed or underdiagnosed by ophthalmologists and dermatologists. Therefore, through ophthalmologic evaulation on admission is mandatory for correct diagnosis of ocular rosacea, and patients, once diagnosed as such, should be managed in mutual ophthalmologic and dermatologic consultation.
