Assessment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Comparison of The Results of BUT and Schirmer Test According to Meibomian Gland State

ABSTRACT

We analyzed 75 patients (150 eyes)who visited our hospital from April to August 1999, and divided into 4 groups by using meibography and meibomian expression;meibomian gland orifice obstruction group (group 1), meibomian gland destruction group (group 2), meibomian gland destruction and meibomian gland orifice obstruction group (group 3), normal control group (group 4). We performed BUT and Schirmer test, and asked symptoms of dry eye in each group. The mean BUT was 8.20 +/-2.16 sec, 7.70 +/- 2.12 sec, 6.22 +/-2.07 sec, and 14.56 +/-2.55 sec in group 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively and the mean number of symptoms of dry eye was 2.10 +/-1.06, 2.33 +/- 0.97, 2.92 +/-0.77, and 0.72 +/-0.71. These differences were statistically significant (p0.05). These results suggest that meibomian gland dysfunction decreases the BUT results and discomforts patients with dry eye symptom. Thus, we expect that meibography and meibomian expression technique which are easily used at out-patient department are relatively objective and helpful methods to evaluate meibomian gland dysfunction, and it would be helpful to perform these examinations in patient with dry eye to detect the causative factor and perform the proper treatment of this disease.