Rosacea Cures for Dry Eye

Ocular rosacea cures for dry eye are a top priority in today’s research institutes. As you may know, rosacea sufferers are no stranger to dry eye. In people with ocular rosacea, dry eye can frequently be complicated by a blockage of the meibomian glands at the base of the eyelashes. Consequently, these glands produce the lipids that retain moisture on the surface of the eyeball.

It has been cited in a recent National Rosacea Society survey that of those participants reporting ocular rosacea symptoms, 95 percent said their eyes had felt gritty, dry, or irritated. One surprising fact was that only 28 percent of those with the ocular rosacea symptoms said that they had been diagnosed with ocular rosacea.

It is important to note that if the eye condition is left untreated, people with severe ocular rosacea could experience potentially serious consequences. Scarring within the eyelid or corneal damage could lead to decreased vision for ocular rosacea sufferers.

For milder dry eye symptoms, patients are advised to use a humidifier or other means or device to raise the humidity levels at home or in the work environment. Artificial tears are another option for moisturizing the eyes and are readily available at the local pharmacy.

For many ocular rosacea patients, a program of good eyelash hygiene is recommended to minimize blockage of the meibomian glands. To help minimize the occurrence of blockage, a daily eyelash shampooing or washing can be performed at the end of a morning shower. Here is the recommended procedure:

• Place a small drop of baby shampoo (to eliminate tearing) on a wet face cloth and carefully rub it onto a closed eye, creating a slight lather.
  
  
• Next, gently rub the face cloth gently back and forth in a horizontal motion over the upper and lower eyelashes. After shampooing the eyelashes on one eye, shampoo the eyelashes on the other eye.
  
  
• Then, making sure your eyes are closed, put your face under the shower water and rinse off the soap until the eyelashes feel squeaky clean.
  
  
• Gently towel dry.

If you prefer to do this procedure using a mirror, you can use your vanity wash basin, but be sure to rinse your eyes and lashes thoroughly.

To the casual observer, following all of these recommendations, rosacea cures for dry eye may seem like more trouble than it’s worth. However, for those ocular rosacea sufferers experiencing dry eye symptoms, it is a small price to pay to cure their irritated, red, burning and gritty feeling eyes.