Corneal biomechanical properties are correlated and associated with the progression of visual field damage in NTG patients. These findings suggest that CH can be used as one of the prognostic factors for progression, independent of corneal thickness or intraocular pressure.
Purpose
We sought to evaluate the distribution and characteristics of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and the treatment patterns for symptomatic MGD patients in South Korea.
Methods
One hundred ninety-six right eyes of 196 MGD patients were enrolled. For each patient, meibum expressibility in the central eight glands in both the upper and lower eyelids was examined. Each upper and lower eyelid was separately classified into one of the following three subtypes: nonobvious obstructive (low-delivery without lid margin abnormality), obvious obstructive (low-delivery with lid margin abnormality), and hypersecretory (high-delivery with lid margin abnormality). All treatment plans were also recorded.
Results
The mean number of expressible glands of the central eight glands in the upper eyelids (3.9 ± 2.6) was significantly higher than that in the lower eyelids (2.2 ± 2.4,
p
< 0.001). Obvious obstructive MGD was the most common subtype, followed by the hypersecretory and nonobvious obstructive subtypes in both the upper and lower eyelids. Of the 196 subjects, 38 (19.4%) had upper and lower eyelids that were assigned to different categories. Eyelid hygiene was the most prescribed treatment (74.5%), followed by lubricant eye drop usage (71.5%). Physicians tended to determine treatment plans based on the subtype of the upper eyelid rather than that of the lower eyelid.
Conclusions
The majority of subjects were classified as having the obvious obstructive subtype of MGD, and 19.4% had upper and lower eyelids that were different subtypes. Eyelid hygiene was the most prescribed treatment for MGD patients, and treatment patterns were mostly determined based on the subtype of the upper eyelids.
The purpose of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the effect of eyelid hygiene on subjective symptoms, anterior blepharitis, and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) after cataract surgery. Subjects with obstructive MGD who underwent cataract surgery were randomly divided into two groups. In the eyelid hygiene group, eyelid hygiene was performed twice a day for 10 days from 3 days before to 1 week after cataract surgery. The control group did not perform eyelid hygiene. A subjective symptom questionnaire of SPEED, anterior blepharitis grade, and meibum quality and quantity was evaluated at baseline and at postoperative 1 and 4 weeks. The eyelid hygiene group (n = 36) showed decreased SPEED score after cataract surgery and the control group (n = 33) did not. Anterior blepharitis grade was worse 1 week after surgery in the control group but not in the eyelid hygiene group. The control group had significantly decreased meibum quality and quantity in both the upper and lower eyelids after cataract surgery, but the eyelid hygiene group did not. Eyelid hygiene before/ after cataract surgery improved postoperative subjective symptoms and prevented postoperative exacerbation of anterior blepharitis and MGD. Thus, perioperative eyelid hygiene is recommended for patients with obstructive MGD who undergo cataract surgery. Blepharitis is divided into anterior and posterior blepharitis according to anatomic location. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the main cause of posterior blepharitis. MGD is characterized by abnormal meibomian gland secretion, qualitative/quantitative changes in meibum, dry eye symptoms, and ocular surface inflammation 1-3. Anterior blepharitis and MGD are important factors that may cause evaporative dry eye syndrome 4,5. They cause deficiency or imbalance of the tear film lipid layer secreted from meibomian glands to increase tear evaporation even if aqueous tear secretion is normal 6,7. On the other hand, another study reported that the tear film lipid layer itself may not inhibit the rate of tear evaporation 8. Nevertheless, an important function of the tear film lipid layer is to spread tears to the ocular surface between blinks, helping to maintain tear film homeostasis on the ocular surface. Previous studies have reported that the signs of blepharitis can worsen after cataract surgery, and the degree of dry eye syndrome and MGD is worse than before surgery 9-12. More significant worsening of MGD was observed
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