Associations Between Skin and Mucous Membrane Disorders and Ocular Inflammation

Most individuals do not realize the association between skin and mucous membrane disorders and ocular inflammation. Ocular inflammation may range from the relatively mild, nuisance manifestations of acne rosacea, with its associated chronic eyelid and conjunctival inflammation, to the profoundly vision-threatening ocular consequences of ichthyosis, pemphigoid, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and, in some cases, allergic conditions such as eczema.

Patients with any type of ocular inflammatory disease should alert their ophthalmologist to the presence of any coexisting skin disorder and its treatment. By being informed of an underlying dermatologic condition, the ophthalmologist may recognize that the patient’s ocular inflammatory disease is closely related to the skin disorder. This awareness can guide management toward a more systemic therapeutic approach rather than relying solely on topical treatment.