Understanding the Connection
If you live with rosacea, you’re probably familiar with the redness, flushing, and visible vessels it causes on the skin. What’s less widely known is that rosacea can also affect the eyes. This condition, called ocular rosacea, is a leading cause of evaporative dry eye.
At Sharmina Khan’s Dry Eye Spa Clinic, we often see patients whose “mystery” dry eye turns out to be linked to rosacea. The encouraging news? Once the link is recognised, treatment can bring lasting relief.
What Is Evaporative Dry Eye?
Dry eye disease happens when tears don’t properly protect and lubricate the eyes. With evaporative dry eye, the issue isn’t tear quantity, but tear quality. Inflammation or blockage of the meibomian glands, tiny oil glands in the eyelids, means the protective oily layer is missing. Without it, tears evaporate too quickly, leaving eyes sore, gritty, and tired.
How Rosacea Affects the Eyes
Ocular rosacea can cause:
- Red, inflamed eyelids
- Swollen or blocked meibomian glands
- Burning, stinging, or watery eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred or fluctuating vision
Inflammation drives both rosacea and dry eye. By tackling inflammation directly, symptoms can improve dramatically.
Common Symptoms
Patients with rosacea-related dry eye often notice:
- A burning or sandy sensation
- Excessive watering (a reflex to dryness)
- Eyelids that look red or irritated
- Flare-ups after triggers like sun, spicy food, alcohol, or stress
If this sounds familiar, it’s worth booking a specialist dry eye assessment.
Treatment Options
Lubricating drops may help briefly, but long-term relief comes from addressing the underlying inflammation and gland dysfunction. At Sharmina Khan Eye Clinic, we offer:
- OptiLight IPL: Reduces inflammation, unblocks glands, improves tear stability.
- BlephEx: Gentle exfoliation of the eyelid margins.
- LipiFlow: A thermal massage system that clears blocked glands at 42 degrees Celcius.
- Personalised eyelid care: Tailored routines for compresses, hygiene, and lifestyle adjustments.
These treatments target the cause of evaporative dry eye, not just the symptoms.
Why See a Specialist like Sharmina Khan?
Rosacea-related dry eye is often misdiagnosed. Many patients are told to “just use drops,” which rarely solves the problem. With a consultant eye surgeon, you’ll get:
- A detailed assessment of your tear film and glands
- Access to advanced personalised treatments
- A plan tailored to restore long-term comfort and eye health
Take control of rosacea-related dry eye or any other form of dry eye in fact. Call us today on 0207 112 4921 or book a free video assessment online.
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What our patients say…
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Had cataract surgery on both eyes simultaneously last week and, 7 days later, the vision is brilliant. I can see to read as well, including small print smaller than I expected! I can see car number plates at the end of the road. Everything was excellent, and I could not have wished for anything better.”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“My cataract surgery was a great experience. My vision is now brighter; overall, I felt informed and secure throughout, and I am glad I did it and definitely recommend Sharmina Khan. Everyone at the hospital was great, very professional, friendly, and treated me very nicely. During the surgery, I didn’t feel any pain at any time. The recovery was very easy and smooth.”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I was very nervous about having cataract surgery, as I have other medical conditions in both eyes. Ms. Khan allayed all of my fears and explained everything in detail to me. Now that both surgeries are completed, I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. I’m seeing things I’ve not been able to see properly in years. Amazing!”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Ms. Sharmina Khan is an outstanding eye consultant. She took the time to listen attentively to my concerns and provided thoughtful, easy-to-understand explanations. Her depth of knowledge and ability to address my questions left me thoroughly satisfied with her services. I highly recommend Ms. Sharmina Khan to anyone seeking expert eye care and guidance.”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I had cataract surgery in both eyes. The procedure was painless, easy to understand, and swift. My anxiety levels were very low, and recovery was quick and easy. I was just so relaxed. My vision was like being Wonder Woman. It was so clear, and it was like someone had cleaned a window. Now, my vision is fine for reading, computer use, and using a sewing machine.”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Extremely happy with vision following cataract surgery. I wish I had it done sooner. The colors I am experiencing, I didn’t know existed. The experience was really good; it wasn’t much painful. I really enjoyed the sandwiches afterward. When I got home, I saw every little mark on the walls and now am cleaning up!”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“6/5. Incredibly impressed with Miss Khan’s bedside manner and operation and consultation. I have had the Synergy toric lens and have experienced a dramatic increase in distance vision. Now, I am able to read stuff on the television perfectly, and reading small print, I can now read the back of a tin of beans!”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Miss Khan was very professional, and both my eyes had trifocal intra-ocular lens implants (toric in the left). The risks and benefits were explained to my satisfaction, and I was very nervous. However, the procedure and the recovery were painless. I now have perfect unaided vision in both eyes and would recommend Miss Khan, 10 out of 10.”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I’m so pleased I sought Sharmina Khan’s help. My dry eye problem was debilitating. I turned up to my appointment in a very worried state and left reassured. My eyes are now vastly better. I feel in good hands. Thank you!”
Verified patient on Doctify★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I have had Lipiflow a few times now, and I couldn’t do without it because it really gets rid of my gritty and sore eyes for months at a time. Lipiflow has helped me go back to doing normal things without getting frustrated, like driving, tolerating air conditioning, generally tolerating different humidity levels, and not feeling like I need to use eye drops all the time. I would highly recommend it.”
Verified patient on DoctifyWe have replaced the images of real patients who provided these testimonials to protect their privacy.
Sharmina Khan
MBBS MSc FHEA FRCOphth
DipCRS CertLRS,
Consultant Eye Surgeon
Hi, I’m Sharmina Khan
I am based in Marylebone, London as a specialist Consultant Cataract & Lens surgeon where I can help you be rid of glasses. In our premium Dry Eye clinic we deliver top of the range office based treatments such as Optlight IPL, Lipiflow (and more) to help you silent sufferers with dry eye and blepharitis associated with rosacea, menopause, prolonged screen time due work and play!
I started out as a Senior House Officer at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London in 2002 and then worked may way to where we are now. As a result I have carried out over 7000+ cataract/lens procedures across both my private and NHS practices at the world renowned Moorfields Eye NHS & Private Hospitals. I am proud that our efforts mean the profits from Moorfields Private are invested back into Moorfields research and Moorfields NHS!
We have options so that you can achieve your dreams of better vision and more, according to your lifestyle needs.
