How Facial Rosacea Triggers Dry Eye & What You Can Do About It 

If you have rosacea on your face and you’re also experiencing eyes that are dry, stinging, or burning, you're not alone. I personally suffer from facial rosacea and many of my dry eye patients do as well. These two conditions are more connected than you might think. 

In my clinic, I regularly see patients frustrated by facial redness and irritated eyes. What many don’t realize is that facial rosacea can directly impact your eye health through a condition called ocular rosacea. 

What Is Rosacea? 

Facial rosacea appears as flushed cheeks, visible red blood vessels, or bumps on the cheeks and chin. This is more common in people with fair skin. The redness is caused from irregular blood vessels on the cheeks, nose, and eyelids...

Today we're diving into an important topic: sunscreen. As a dry eye specialist, you might wonder why I'm discussing sunscreen. The reason lies in a condition called ocular rosacea, which involves irregular blood vessels around the eyelids, leading to eye dryness. This condition is closely associated with facial rosacea, making patients more sensitive to the sun. Treatments for facial rosacea, such as intense pulsed light (IPL), require careful post-treatment sun protection.

To help us understand the importance of sunscreen and the differences between types, I've invited Rachel Downey, a health and wellness advocate with Crunchi. When browsing the sunscreen aisle, Rachel understand how overwhelming it can be to choose the right product. Here's what you need to know:

What's the Differen...

Let's dive into the world of Oculaire Skincare, the ultimate destination for eye-enhancing products that promise to make you feel, look, and even see better!

Today, I'm joined by Jessica Rosales, a skincare expert from Oculaire Skincare, who will take us on a journey through their incredible product line designed specifically for sensitive eyes and skin. Get ready to unlock the secrets to youthful and radiant eyes naturally! 

Oculaire Mousse d'or - The Gentle Foaming Face and Lid Wash

Jessica introduces us to the wonder of Oculaire Mousse d'or, a foaming face and lid wash that's perfect for daily use. Mousse d'or is a calming formulation that helps eliminate demodex, alleviate symptoms of blepharitis, reduce lid swelling, and address skin inflammation. Its gentle and scent-free formula...

In an earlier blog, I discussed the importance of using a warm compress mask as part of a daily treatment regimen for dry eyes.  However, some of my patients find it hard to use a mask because of a facial condition they have.  The condition is called Acne Rosacea.  It is quite common in light skinned folks or those with heritage from Northern European countries.

 Acne Rosacea causes irregular blood vessels to form on the skin.  If you have rosacea on your cheeks, there is an 80% chance that you also have rosacea on your eyelids.

 When these irregular blood vessels are close to the eyes, they bring inflammation to its front surface.  This inflammation fuels to cycle of dry eyes.

 My patients that have rosacea, are not fans of using warm compresses because they can cause these blood ves...

A few weeks ago, we talked about Demodex mites in the eyelashes and how I don't recommend the use of tea tree oil anymore to remove those Demodex mites. There is a new study out of Harvard Medical School indicating that Tea Tree oil is toxic to the cells of the meibomian glands. You can read the original article here.

Demodex mites normally live on human eyelids and lashes. These are microscopic and you can't see them with the naked eye. Below is a super magnified image of the Demodex mite. They have little mouths and they bury themselves inside of the lash follicle. Their little tails hang out at the top of the follicle. If you know you have an overgrowth of Demodex mites you will need an in office treatment or use a daily cleanser to get rid of them.

How do you know if you have a Dem...