Esthesiometry and meibography findings in pediatric ocular rosacea

Ocular rosacea in children is often underrecognized because cutaneous signs may be subtle or absent, leading to delayed diagnosis and potential corneal complications. This descriptive case series included 10 consecutive pediatric patients (<14 years) diagnosed with ocular rosacea at a tertiary-care hospital between April 2024 and January 2025. All underwent comprehensive ophthalmological evaluation, including slit-lamp examination, fluorescein staining, meibography with the OCULUS Keratograph 5M, and corneal sensitivity assessment using the Corneal Esthesiometer Brill. Blepharitis was observed in all patients, and recurrent hordeola were frequent. Superficial punctate keratitis and corneal infiltrates were common findings. Meibography demonstrated moderate meibomian gland loss in most cases, and corneal sensitivity measurements suggested reduced corneal sensitivity. Cutaneous manifestations were present in only a minority of patients. These findings suggest that meibography and corneal esthesiometry may serve as useful adjunctive tools for early detection and clinical assessment of pediatric ocular rosacea.