What is ocular rosacea? Symptoms and causes of ocular rosacea
Ocular rosacea: What you need to know
If your eyes are red, itchy, swollen, or you frequently develop styes, don’t ignore it. While these symptoms can be the result of environmental allergies or a simple blocked tear duct, they can also be a sign of a chronic condition called ocular rosacea.
What is ocular rosacea?
Ocular rosacea is a subtype of rosacea that causes inflammation and burning in the eyes and eyelids. Rosacea is a chronic skin disease that primarily affects women between the ages of 30 and 50.1. Up to 58% of people with rosacea have concomitant eye problems, with men and women affected equally. However, 20% of cases of ocular rosacea have no skin symptoms prior to diagnosis. 2,3 This means that you can have ocular rosacea even if you don’t have symptoms of rosacea.
Symptoms and causes of ocular rosacea
Symptoms of ocular rosacea can affect any part of the eye, including the eyelids. You may notice one or more of the following symptoms frequently.
Red, itchy, burning, or watery eyes
Grainy feeling or feeling as if something has entered your eye
Dry eyes
Sensitivity to light
Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis)
Visible thin veins in the eyelids near the eyelashes
Recurrent eyelid infections, such as styes or hailstones
Inflammation of the cornea, which may cause blurred vision or vision loss
The cause of ocular rosacea is unknown, but it may be related to one or more of the following:
Genetics: If one or both of your parents have rosacea, you are also at a higher risk of developing rosacea
Bacterial infection: Helicobacter pylori, which usually affects the intestines, can also cause eye inflammation.
Blocked eyelid glands: A condition called meibomian gland dysfunction means that your eyelid glands don’t produce enough oil to prevent your eyes from drying out.
Eyelash mites: While everyone has eyelash mites, people with rosacea tend to have more of them than normal, which can cause inflammation.
How is ocular rosacea diagnosed?
There is no specific test to diagnose ocular rosacea. Instead, your doctor will determine the cause of your symptoms based on your medical history and observations from an eye exam.
Ocular rosacea is diagnosed when you have at least two symptoms, including rosacea skin symptoms.
Ocular rosacea is classified into three grades:
Grade 1: Mild itching, burning, sandy sensation in eyes
Grade 2: Burning, stinging, or crusting in eyes and eyelids
Grade 3: Pain, sensitivity to light, or blurred vision
How to Treat Ocular Rosacea
Treatment of ocular rosacea depends on the severity of the condition. Treatment can relieve symptoms, but there is no cure for this chronic condition. It is important to treat your symptoms because, if left untreated, ocular rosacea may lead to permanent vision loss. It is always recommended to see a specialist to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Initial treatment includes good eyelid hygiene.
Wash your eyelids twice a day with warm water or baby shampoo.
Use artificial tears to relieve dry eyes if necessary.
Avoid makeup if your eyes are sore. If you wear makeup, choose non-greasy or fragrance-free products.
Do not wear contact lenses if your eyes are irritated, especially if they are dry.
Avoid certain rosacea triggers, such as spicy foods or alcohol.
For more severe symptoms, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics, such as doxycycline, tetracycline, minocycline, azithromycin, or erythromycin, to treat infection and inflammation. They are usually given at lower doses for longer periods of time to treat inflammation.
Topical steroid medications may be prescribed when other antibiotics have failed to resolve inflammation, corneal damage, or chronic eye irritation. They are only used short-term, as long-term use of steroids may cause other eye problems, such as glaucoma or cataracts.
An alternative to treating inflammation with steroids is topical cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant that is particularly helpful for dry eyes. It is safer to use long-term than steroids.
Some studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can relieve dry eye symptoms.
Hail or styes that don’t respond to other treatments can be removed surgically.
Avoiding rosacea flare-ups with ocular rosacea
Ocular rosacea has the same triggers as rosacea. If you have both ocular rosacea and rosacea, the same conditions can cause red spots on your skin and eyes. Common triggers are:
Spicy foods
Alcohol
Sunlight, wind or extreme temperatures
Extreme emotions, especially stress, anger or embarrassment
Intense physical activity
Taking a hot bath or sauna
When to see a doctor
If you have burning, red or itchy eyes, see your GP. If he suspects you have ocular rosacea, he will refer you to your optician or ophthalmologist.
You should also see an ophthalmologist if your ocular rosacea symptoms get worse or flare-ups become more frequent. Tell them if you have any new symptoms or triggers.
Go to the emergency department if you experience pain, dizziness, vision loss, blurred vision or double vision.
Living with Ocular Rosacea
While there is no cure for ocular rosacea, regular treatment and good eye hygiene can control symptoms and prevent disease progression. Work with your doctor to determine a disease management routine that’s right for you.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.