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Tear Film Interferometry, Meibography, and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography for Rosacea
Matteo Capobianco1, Marco Zeppieri2,3, Federico Visalli1
1Eye Clinic, Catania University, Policlinico G. Rodolico, 95121 Catania, Italy.
Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 27, 2026
Summary
Early ocular surface changes in rosacea patients are detectable with advanced imaging, even without visible symptoms. Routine eye exams for rosacea patients can prevent serious vision complications.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Dermatology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can affect the eyes, potentially causing damage before skin symptoms appear.
- Early detection of ocular surface dysfunction is crucial for preventing corneal complications.
- Non-invasive imaging techniques may reveal subclinical ocular changes in rosacea patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate subclinical ocular alterations in patients with cutaneous rosacea using a combination of non-invasive imaging techniques.
- To assess the utility of tear film interferometry, infrared meibography, and retinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in detecting early ocular changes.
- To compare ocular findings in rosacea patients with and without clinically evident ocular involvement against healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation of 16 patients with cutaneous rosacea (divided into those with and without ocular involvement) and 6 healthy controls.
- Utilized LipiView II® interferometry and meibography to measure lipid layer thickness (LLT) and meibomian gland (MG) loss.
- Performed retinal OCT-A to assess retinal microvasculature.
Main Results:
- Significantly reduced LLT and increased MG loss scores were observed in both rosacea groups compared to controls (p < 0.001).
- Retinal OCT-A showed no significant alterations in retinal plexuses across groups (p > 0.05).
- Ocular symptoms were present in 85% of patients, and 58% of asymptomatic cases showed surface alterations on examination.
Conclusions:
- Tear film interferometry and meibography effectively detect early ocular surface impairment in rosacea, even in asymptomatic individuals.
- Retinal microvasculature appears unaffected in this cohort, though findings require cautious interpretation due to sample size.
- Routine ophthalmologic screening for all rosacea patients is recommended for early intervention and prevention of corneal complications.
