Why drops are sometimes not enough for Dry Eye relief.
Your meibomian glands produce the oily part of the tear film needed to protect the surface of your eye by preventing the evaporation of the watery part of your tears. When these glands are not functioning well, your eyes may feel dry.
This is called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, or MGD. MGD is a leading cause of Dry Eye, and can be the source of most dry eye symptoms, such as burning, stinging, and itching.
MGD is a chronic, progressive condition and, if left untreated, may worsen over time, leaving eyes feeling more irritated, inflamed, and dry2. Despite how it sounds, the cause of Dry Eye is rarely due to a lack of the watery part of your tears, but rather an insufficient lipid layer that is needed to prevent the watery part from evaporating too quickly between blinks.
Studies have shown that MGD was prevalent in (the following high-risk groups):
80% of glaucoma patients6
Plus, in a separate study, 72.5% of patients presenting for refractive surgery evaluation had meibomian gland atrophy (indicative of MGD).8
If ‘Yes', you may want to ask your doctor about Dry Eye and MGD.
MGD can be caused by activities or conditions that are common in everyday life:12
Maintaining healthy function and structure of your meibomian glands before you have dry eye symptoms is key, as MGD is a chronic, progressive, and obstructive condition.11-13 In fact, 20% of MGD patients may not have any dry eye symptoms.14 Whether you have symptoms or not, it's important that you get screened for Dry Eye and MGD. If you're diagnosed with MGD, there's something you can do about it. Early detection and treatment can minimize the long-term negative impact of MGD.
If you've been evaluated for Dry Eye before, but your meibomian glands were not discussed, you may need to be screened again. It's also important to remember that, while eye drops such as artificial tears may soothe some symptoms of Dry Eye, they provide temporary palliative relief and do not address or remove gland obstruction. Even Dry Eye prescription drops will not address MGD.
As part of the Dry Eye evaluation for MGD, your eye doctor will likely take an image of your meibomian glands, and review the images with you to discuss the level of visible glands you have, if any.
A meibomian gland structure ranges anywhere from normal to significant gland loss, depending on whether or not the disease is present and the level of its severity. Your doctor may conduct additional tests, since imaging alone cannot diagnose MGD.
Meibomian glands secret lipids - the oily part of tears - which are a key component to the tear film that helps maintain a healthy ocular surface. When meibomian glands function correctly, these lipids reduce eye surface water evaporation.
When meibomian glands become blocked, the lipids cannot be released. The absence of lipids causes watery tears to dry up quickly, resulting in dry eye symptoms which can cause discomfort and sometimes blurry vision.
Left untreated, meibomian gland dysfunction progresses. Over time, the glands become completely obstructed, which then leads to meibomian gland atrophy, resulting in permanent changes in the tear film.
As with any medical procedure, risks and potential complications may occur. Please consult your eye care specialist for detailed information and to discuss these possible risks and complications with you prior to the procedure.
References:
PP2023TS4166
