While avoidance of trigger factors, gentle cleansing and a variety of medical therapies are among today’s options for controlling ocular rosacea, continuing research on its pathophysiology is uncovering potential avenues for the development of important new advances in its treatment, according to Dr. Edward Wladis, associate professor and vice-chairman of ophthalmology at Albany Medical College, in a recent article in the medical journal Survey of Ophthalmology.¹

Q.  I enjoy lifting weights, but whenever I put my body under physical stress my symptoms get worse.  What type of physical exercise is optimal and at what intensity? 

A.  Any physical exercise that greatly increases your core body temperature may result in flushing and a flare-up of rosacea symptoms, so low- to medium-intensity exercise is probably your best bet.  You might be able to reduce the intensity of your current exercise routine with these techniques:

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

Q. Can rosacea be on the inside of your eyelids?

Although rosacea rarely appears in children, its potential occurrence should be considered during medical examinations because of the possible severity of ocular (eye) involvement, according to a report in the Archives of Dermatology.¹

A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Davis identified the most common eye effects of subtype 4 (ocular) rosacea found by ophthalmologists during patient examinations.¹

In the study of 88 ocular rosacea patients, 85 percent had meibomian gland dysfunction. These glands secrete a fatty substance that helps keep the eye from drying out, and plugging of these glands may result in dry eye or styes.