Rosacea and atopic dermatitis. Two common oculocutaneous disorders.

OBJECTIVE To increase awareness of the oculocutaneous manifestations of two common skin diseases. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE We reviewed clinically relevant articles from the dermatologic and ophthalmologic literature. The PubMed database was searched from January 1965 to January 2001 to locate retrospective and prospective cohort and descriptive studies using the MeSH terms acne rosacea; eczema; and dermatitis, atopic. Most literature on the topic is based on descriptive research. MAIN MESSAGE Several dermatologic problems are known to have ophthalmologic sequelae. Rosacea and atopic dermatitis are two common skin conditions that can have concomitant eye disease. Degrees of skin and eye disease vary; certain cases require specialty referral and other cases can be managed effectively by family physicians. CONCLUSION Better appreciation of how rosacea and atopic dermatitis overlap with eye disease will result in more appropriate referrals and more comprehensive patient care.