Dry Eye and Meibomian Glands in Vitiligo

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate aqueous and lipid tear film parameters and the meibomian glands (MGs) with non-contact meibography in patients with vitiligo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in the right (OD) and left (OS) eyes of 43 patients with vitiligo and 43 controls in Birjand, Iran. In addition to demographic information and skin disease characteristics, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire was completed for each patient, followed by eye examinations including slit lamp examination, Schirmer test, strip meniscometry (SMTube), and tear break-up time (TBUT) measurement. The MGs were also imaged using a non-contact meibography system (SBM System, Italy). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 with a significant level of less than 0.05. RESULTS: Patients had higher OSDI score than controls but it was not significant (10.90±13.03 vs. 5.57±6.85; p=0.07). There were significant differences between the groups in mean Schirmer test values for both eyes (OD: 8.07±5.47 vs. 17.37±6.52; OS: 7.60±5.00 vs. 17.30±6.44, p<0.001) and mean SMTube results (OD: 4.49±2.40 vs. 9.74±3.67; OS: 4.30±2.81 vs. 9.65±4.52; p<0.001). However, mean TBUT did not differ between the groups (OD: 9.14±3.17 vs. 10.12±2.08, p=0.27; OS: 9.16±3.30 vs. 10.05±2.10, p=0.25). Meibography also showed no significant difference in MG dropout between the groups (OD: 20.86±9.79 vs. 21.05±12.07; p=0.74; OS: 18.16±8.83 vs. 19.53±10.30; p=0.51). CONCLUSION: Vitiligo is associated with a reduction in the production of aqueous tear film, but does not affect the structure and function of the MGs.