New information about the causes of eye irritation in rosacea and proper skin care were among the rosacea-related topics presented to dermatologists attending the recent 71st annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) in Miami Beach.

Q. I’ve been treated for rosacea for almost a year, and my eyelashes are almost nonexistent. Could this be connected to the rosacea?

A. Rosacea patients who suffer from the eye symptoms of subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea may experience blockage of oil glands, inflammation and crusting around the eyelashes.

A new technique for improving the eye symptoms of ocular rosacea, a possible biochemical clue to its diagnosis and a potential link between Demodex and the development of corneal ulcers are among the advances from National Rosacea Society-funded researchers to appear in recent medical journals.

Sufferers of ocular rosacea, a subtype characterized by irritated eyes, may find their symptoms worsen during unpredictable spring weather. Here are some tips to help ease your seasonal discomfort:

Q. My ears have been weeping and draining for three years. I was diagnosed with ocular and regular rosacea a year ago. Is there such a thing as inner ear rosacea?

A. Rosacea is primarily a disorder of the facial skin, but it may also occur on the skin of other parts of the body such as the neck, chest, scalp or ears. However, there is not good evidence in medical literature linking rosacea to symptoms of the inner ear.

Eye symptoms are common in rosacea patients and eye dryness is an early sign of subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea, according to a study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.¹

Noting that the prevalence of eye involvement in rosacea is probably higher than often presumed, Dr. E. Lazaridou and colleagues of the Aristotle University Medical School, Thessalonika, Greece, examined 100 rosacea patients for ocular signs and symptoms using two tests to determine the presence of eye dryness.

Schoolteachers are legendary for their "eagle eyes" — their uncanny ability to see a note being passed in the last row or a piece of chewing gum being placed surreptitiously in a student's mouth. So it was for Barbara Brown, a retired teacher from Virginia, until about four years ago when she began to experience severe eye irritation.

"It started with what I thought was an eye infection," Barbara said. "I got some ointment from my doctor, but it didn't get any better. He finally sent me to a specialist who diagnosed my problem as ocular rosacea."

The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has awarded funding for three new studies in addition to continuing support for five ongoing studies as part of its research grants program to increase knowledge and understanding of the potential causes and other key aspects of rosacea.

Soothing cleansing and other measures in addition to medical therapy may help relieve the symptoms of subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea, according to the standard management options for rosacea recently published by the National Rosacea Society (NRS).

"Gentle care in keeping eyelids clean is especially important in keeping eyes with ocular rosacea healthy," said Dr. Marian Macsai, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Chicago and a member of the consensus committee and review panel of 26 medical experts who developed the new standard options.¹

A new study has found there may be a link between ocular rosacea and bacteria associated with Demodex mites, microscopic inhabitants of normal skin that tend to occur in much greater numbers in those with rosacea.

In the recently published study of 59 rosacea patients, Dr. Jianjing Li and colleagues at the Ocular Surface Center in Miami found a significant correlation between facial rosacea, infestation of the eyes with Demodex mites and reaction to certain mite-related organisms previously shown to stimulate an immune response in rosacea sufferers.¹