Comparison of Meibomian Gland Imaging Findings and Lipid Layer Thickness between Primary Sjögren Syndrome and Non-Sjögren Syndrome Dry Eyes

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To compare meibomian gland (MG) imaging findings and lipid layer thickness (LLT) between patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) dry eyes (DE) and non-SS DE.

Methods: A total of 60 patients—30 with SS DE and 30 with non-SS DE were evaluated. Infrared image findings of MGs and LLT were assessed using the LipiView II interferometer.

Results: The maximum LLT was significantly lower in the SS DE group. SS DE exhibited significantly higher MG dropout compared to the non-SS DE. Average and maximal LLT showed significant negative correlations with MG dropout in both groups (p<0.05). Conjunctival staining scores showed significant correlations with average and maximum LLT and MG dropout values in the SS DE group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that the new interferometer will be useful in understanding the pathophysiology of SS DE.

Keywords:

• Dry eye
• interferometer
• lipid layer thickness
• meibomian gland imaging
• Sjögren syndrome

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Korea Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea [HI13C0016].