Preliminary data from a study funded by the National Rosacea Society have found that the tears of rosacea patients contain different proteins than the tears of people without rosacea. The results point to the potential for a screening test for ocular rosacea in the future.

The study, "Tear Proteins in Patients with Rosacea," is being conducted by a team led by Dr. Mark J. Mannis, chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California - Davis.

Q.Is it safe for someone with ocular rosacea to wear contact lenses?

A. Anyone with ocular rosacea should consult their physician about the safety of wearing contact lenses in their particular case. Depending on the individual, the symptoms of ocular rosacea may make wearing contact lenses problematic.

While red, teary or scratchy eyes might sometimes be shrugged off as simple irritation from harsh winter weather, these may actually be warning signs of ocular rosacea, a potentially serious condition that many people do not associate with a skin disorder.

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.

Q. Rosacea seems to affect my eyes more in the winter. Is there anything I can do?

A. Wind and cold temperatures may cause irritation and increase the watery discharge associated with ocular rosacea (eye symptoms)¹. Besides limiting time outdoors during winter, patients with ocular rosacea can protect their eyes from icy blasts by wearing ultraviolet protective glasses or sunglasses.

Ramona McDaniels had no knowledge of rosacea when her symptoms first appeared. When her face began to flush frequently, with the redness lasting longer each time, she suspected everything and anything.

"I tried to figure it out," McDaniels said. "Everything under the sun was suspect. I thought it might be my makeup, allergies, foods, the sun."

The list of potential culprits grew until one day her mother read an article about rosacea. "She looked at me and said, 'This is what you have.'"

Red eyes often go hand in hand with red faces for many people with rosacea, as many develop the ocular form of the disorder in addition to facial symptoms. Fortunately, the effects of ocular rosacea can be successfully controlled with medical help and appropriate eye care.

In a recent National Rosacea Society survey, 61 percent of nearly 1,400 respondents said they had suffered eye symptoms such as a watery or bloodshot appearance, a gritty feeling, or burning or itching.

A new survey by the National Rosacea Society suggests that common symptoms known as ocular rosacea, which can cause irritation or redness in the eyes of rosacea patients, may be significantly underdiagnosed.

Mark (not his real name) couldn't see the whole picture. In fact, he was having trouble seeing at all. His eyes were red and irritated. But he never suspected that this irritation was related in any way to the mysterious redness on his face.

"I woke up one morning and my eyes were sore," Mark said. "It felt like I had something in them that I couldn't get out." Despite the irritation he went to work anyway.

Winter conditions may be particularly harsh on patients with ocular rosacea, according to Dr. Guy Webster, associate professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Medical College in Philadelphia. He noted that eye symptoms of rosacea seem to worsen during this season, perhaps because of the frequent gusty winds and cold temperatures.