Clinical Efficacy of Microblepharoexfoliation in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Patients

Purpose: To assess the clinical efficacy of microblepharoexfolication using BlephEx (TM) (Scope Ophthalmics, London, UK) in meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) patients. Methods: We performed a prospective study involving 48 eyes of 24 patients who were diagnosed with MGD. All patients were treated with BlephEx (TM) for 8-10 minutes, and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer's I test, corneal staining score, lid margin abnormality, MGD score, and lipid thickness layer using the Lipiview II (TearScience, Morrisville, NC, USA) were assessed before treatment and after one month. Results: Significant changes were observed after microblepharoexfoliation using BlephEx (TM). The TBUT improved from 2.65 +/- 1.16 to 3.77 +/- 1.80 after 1 month (p < 0.001) and the OSDI improved from 38.83 +/- 17.13 to 18.67 +/- 15.01 after 1 month (p < 0.001). Before and after 1 month of treatment, the lid margin abnormalities were 2.98 +/- 1.16 and 2.50 +/- 1.01 (p < 0.001) and the MGD scores were 21.60 +/- 6.95 and 18.02 +/- 6.68 (p = 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: BlephEx (TM) improved the patients' ocular surface symptoms, MGD score, and TBUT. Using steroid eye drops, there was a synergistic effect in improvement. Therefore, using BlephEx (TM) may be suggested as a treatment option for MGD patients.