The National Rosacea Society Expert Committee defines four subtypes of rosacea. One of these is ocular rosacea. The others are: erythematotelangiectatic, papulopustular, phymatous. Many patients have characteristics of more than one subtype.
Dry Eye associated with rosacea results from evaporative loss due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and has been associated with demodex mites. Researchers have found increased interleukin-1 (IL-1) alpha concentrations in the tears of rosacea patients, as well as greater matrix metalloproteinase (MPP) activity.
In medical literature, there is scant difference in the description, or definition, of ocular rosacea and Dry Eye diseases such as blepharitis. The lack of differences extends to symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease.
Reference
Rosacea: diagnosis and treatment
Oge’ LK, Muncie HL, Phillips-Savoy AR.
American Family Physician
2015 Aug 1;92(3):187-96.
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