Faculty Collaboration Database

Screening for meibomian gland disease: its relation to dry eye subtypes and symptoms in a tertiary referral clinic in singapore. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010 Jul;51(7):3449-54

Date

02/26/2010

Pubmed ID

20181848

DOI

10.1167/iovs.09-4445

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-77955880916 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   91 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE. To study screening methods and associated factors of Meibomian gland disease and dry eye subtypes in a specialized eye clinic in Singapore. METHODS. This cross-sectional study involved 200 patients in a dry eye clinic. The outcome measures evaluated were dysfunctional tear syndrome (DTS) level, meibomian gland disease grade, Schirmer test (ST) result, fluorescein tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining grade, and irritative eye symptoms. RESULTS. The meibomian gland screening grade was associated with TBUT (P = 0.007), especially in the upper eyelid and correlated with reading difficulty (P = 0.007) and reversibility of symptomatic blurring with lubricants (P = 0.006). An abnormal ST result was associated with early morning discomfort (P = 0.001), and reduced TBUT was linked to discomfort in windy conditions (P < 0.001). In all patients examined, evaporative dry eye (58%) was the most common type, followed by the mixed evaporative and aqueous tear deficiency (30.5%) types. Fluorescein staining in the central and inferior cornea was most severe in the mixed type. CONCLUSIONS. In dry eye patients, screening for meibomian gland disease based on anteriorization of Marx's line may predict a decrease in TBUT and difficulty in performing certain visual-function-related activities. These findings facilitate better understanding of the meibomian gland's contribution to multifactorial dry eye syndrome, apart from routine conventional tests performed in clinics.

Author List

Tong L, Chaurasia SS, Mehta JS, Beuerman RW

Author

Shyam S. Chaurasia PhD Associate Professor in the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological
Dry Eye Syndromes
Eyelid Diseases
Female
Fluorophotometry
Humans
Male
Meibomian Glands
Middle Aged
Referral and Consultation
Singapore
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tears
Vision Disorders