rosacea again

I sent a follow up question to you back in August. I have had another very bad relapse with my rosacea. I saw the doctor last week. He put me back on the erythromycin ointment and Doxycycline. I had lost my plugs so those were replaced. The stye was so big in my right eye and the pain was just so bad radiating from the back of my eye like fire. He said I would have to take Doxcycline the rest of my life. Is the all of the pain from the rosacea or could it be the glaucoma or something else? Should I go to another doc to have the surgery? I am in so much pain.  
thanks  so much!
sadd

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

1. See a dermatologist for a second opinion for the treatment of the acne rosecea.
2. Be sure you are using either Ocusoft foam eyelid cleaner and ocusoft eyelid cleaning pads or TheraTears SteriLId foam eyelid cleaner. They do not require prescription
3. Read the section of acne roseacea on emedicine.com

JCH MD

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

If you are in that much pain try and see an Eye MD TOMORROW FOR AN EMERGENCY EXAM.

jch md

[proud48]

I have ocular rosacea and Dr. K had told me about a laser surgery to treat my gluacoma and it was to help me with the ocular rosacea in the long run. I wanted to hear what he would reccomend that I do. I do not want to take Doxycycline the rest of my life. It is for my eyes.....not my face
sadd

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

glaucoma and roseacea are not related. Glaucoma laser is not going to help the roseacea. There are ways to treat roseacea without taking deoxycycline the rest of your life (often 2-3 months will clear it up).

JCH MD

[proud48]

Can you tell me what treatments are availalbe? I have been on and off Doxycyline for over a year and about a week off of it the rosacea comes back worse than ever. I am using erthromycin ointment and Restasis. I use Travatan Z for the glaucoma. I do the lid scrubs religiously because I have chronic blephritis. What are we missing?
Thanks you so much!
sadd

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

In a case like this I would stop the Travatan Z for several weeks to see if that is aggravating the condition. The most common side effect of Trav Z is redness and irritation.

If you get better than I would use a differnty type of glaucoma med like Azopt or do a selective laser trabeculoplasty.

I always assume that a patient on chronic eye drops that has a chronic problem may be due to the eye drops. (read the side effects of Trav Z).

JCH MD

[Ticklmetex]

I have found something by accident that has worked for me for the past month.  I was jet skiing with some friends and decided to jump off in the water and swim around.  I got home and decided to sit in my chair for awhile and watch TV before i went and took a shower.  My fiancee came in and gave me a kiss and said man, your face is really clear.  I ran into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and she was right, my rosacea was gone.  I know it was there before i left and being out in the sun all day would have made things worse, so it had to be the water.  I live in Texas and was skiing in Clear Lake which is saltwater, freshwater mix.  I went to Galveston the month before and played in the water, so it was not the saltwater part.  Only thing i can think of was is the bacteria in the water.  Please pass this on to everybody you know and have them pass this on to everybody they know.  Hopefully this will be a free cure for everybody just like peeing on your feet will cure athletes foot.

David Seal

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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