MEIBOMIAN GLAND DYSFUNCTION AND TEAR FILM ABNORMALITIES IN ROSACEA

In order to determine the relationship between meibomian gland dysfunc tion and tear film abnormalities in rosacea, tear film flow and stabil ity and meibomian gland function were assessed in 43 consecutive patie nts. Schirmer, tear film break-up time, and meibomian gland function v alues in patients with ocular rosacea (n=28) were found to be signific antly decreased as compared with those of the patients with only cutan eous involvement and control patients (p>0.05). In patients with derma tologic rosacea (n=15) these values were not different from those of t he age- and sex-matched controls (p>0.05). The effects of tetracycline and meibomian gland expression therapy were also investigated in pati ents with ocular rosacea. Neither meibomian gland expression therapy n or tetracycline administration had beneficial effects on decreased tea r secretion, but tetracycline improved the break-up time values. Our f indings showed a positive relationship between tear film abnormalities and meibomian gland dysfunction in patients with rosacea. Decreased t ear secretion in patients with ocular rosacea would seem to be a resul t of structural changes secondary to meibomian gland dysfunction, and short break-up time might be due to an abnormal meibum composition.