Meibography for eyes with posterior blepharitis

PURPOSE: To study the effect of posterior blepharitis on meibomian glands using infrared meibography and to correlate the results with tear film parameters. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study. The study included eyes from two groups: 86 eyes of healthy volunteers’ eyes and 72 eyes with posterior blepharitis. Participants were examined, and diagnosis of posterior blepharitis was achieved clinically based on signs of posterior blepharitis. Clinical assessment of dryness was performed including slit lamp examination looking for signs of posterior blepharitis, tear breakup time (TBUT), superficial punctate keratopathy (SPK), Schirmer II test (with anesthesia) and meibum score. Non-contact meibography was performed for both upper and lower eyelids using the meibo-grade system which involved distortion of meibomian gland, shortening and dropout. RESULTS: Lid margin abnormalities (Telangiectasia, lid margin swelling and hyperemia) were all significantly higher in the posterior blepharitis group. SPK, meibum score, meibography dropout, distortion, shortening, and total meibography were all significantly higher in the posterior blepharitis group as well as meibum score (P value < 0.001). TBUT was significantly shorter in the posterior blepharitis group (P value < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in Schirmer’s II test. CONCLUSION: Meibography can be a helpful non-invasive tool for the clinical evaluation of the extent of the anatomical damage in patients having meibomian glands loss due to posterior blepharitis. Knowing the extent of damage in meibomian glands may help in selecting the appropriate treatment modality and expect the response to treatment in patients with posterior blepharitis.