An effective azithromycin treatment regimen for management of pediatric and adult ocular rosacea: a case series

Background Ocular Rosacea is an often-under-diagnosed condition that can manifest with or without facial rosacea skin symptoms. It can affect both children and young adults. In some cases, it can lead to severe visual impairment, particularly when it presents as rapidly progressing corneal neovascularization encroaching upon the center of the cornea. Purpose This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a specific regimen of topical and systemic Azithromycin in managing moderate to severe forms of ocular rosacea. Design This is a case series: a descriptive observational study. Patients and methods Three patients of varying ages presented with different stages of ocular rosacea accompanied by corneal neovascularization. They were prescribed topical Azithromycin 1% eye drops twice daily for 5 days, and systemic Azithromycin (200 mg syrup for a 10-year-old female, and 500 mg tablets for a 17-year-old male, and a 20-year-old female) once daily for 5 days. This regimen was repeated over 3 months. The patients were examined during the first week, at 1 month, and at 3 months. Results Significant improvement in clinical signs and visual acuity was observed just a few days after starting the treatment. The condition remained stable with no recurrence reported during the follow-up period. Conclusion Azithromycin, in both topical and systemic forms, is highly effective in managing ocular rosacea. Disclosure The author declares to have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.