Aim To study the morphological features of the palpebral lobe of the main lacrimal gland in normal and dry eyes. Methods This cross-sectional study included 25 healthy subjects and 83 patients with dry eye disease (DED). The aetiological groups of DED were cicatrising conjunctivitis (CC, n=35), evaporative dry eyes (EDE, n=25) and Sjogren’s syndrome (SS, n=23). The palpebral lobes in both eyes were evaluated using slit-lamp biomicroscopy and photography for size (exposed area in mm2), shape (convex or flat), presence of cicatrisation (scarring and/or symblepharon) and appearance of the overlying conjunctival vessels. Results The palpebral lobes in the normal and EDE group were similar in terms of size (41.5±15.6 mm2 vs 39±12.2 mm2, p=0.203), convex shape (100%) and absence of cicatrisation or vascular engorgement (0%). However, as compared to normal controls, the size of the palpebral lobe was markedly reduced in the SS (27.9±12.3, p<0.0001) and CC (18.1±13.7, p<0.0001) groups. The size of the lobes was asymmetric in the CC group (p<0.0001) and differed significantly from the SS group (p=0.0003). Flat contour (79% vs 50%, p=0.0028), subepithelial scarring with or without symblepharon (52% vs 13%, p<0.0001) and engorged conjunctival vessels (96% vs 63%, p=0.00011) were seen in a significantly higher proportion of lobes in the CC as compared to the SS group. Conclusion The morphological features of the palpebral lobe of the main lacrimal gland are significantly distorted in aqueous deficient dry eyes due to CC and SS; however, the lobes in patients with EDE are similar to normal eyes.

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人泪腺的睑叶：正常与干眼的形态测量分析

目的研究正常眼和干眼眼主泪腺睑叶的形态特征。方法 这项横断面研究包括 25 名健康受试者和 83 名干眼病 (DED) 患者。DED的病因组是瘢痕性结膜炎（CC，n=35）、蒸发过强性干眼（EDE，n=25）和干燥综合征（SS，n=23）。使用裂隙灯生物显微镜和摄影评估双眼睑叶的大小（暴露面积以 mm2 为单位）、形状（凸面或扁平）、瘢痕形成（疤痕和/或 symblepharon）的存在以及覆盖结膜血管的外观。结果正常组和EDE组的睑叶在大小（41.5±15.6 mm2 vs 39±12.2 mm2，p=0.203）、凸形（100%）和无瘢痕形成或血管充血（0%）方面相似。然而，与正常对照组相比，SS (27.9±12.3, p<0.0001) 和 CC (18.1±13.7, p<0.0001) 组的睑叶大小显着减小。CC 组的叶大小不对称（p<0.0001），与 SS 组有显着差异（p=0.0003）。扁平轮廓（79% 对 50%，p=0.0028）、上皮下瘢痕形成（52% 对 13%，p<0.0001）和结膜血管充血（96% 对 63%，p=0.00011）与 SS 组相比，CC 中叶的比例显着更高。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。9±12.3, p<0.0001) 和 CC (18.1±13.7, p<0.0001) 组。CC 组的叶大小不对称（p<0.0001），与 SS 组有显着差异（p=0.0003）。扁平轮廓（79% 对 50%，p=0.0028）、上皮下瘢痕形成（52% 对 13%，p<0.0001）和结膜血管充血（96% 对 63%，p=0.00011）与 SS 组相比，CC 中叶的比例显着更高。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。9±12.3, p<0.0001) 和 CC (18.1±13.7, p<0.0001) 组。CC 组的叶大小不对称（p<0.0001），与 SS 组有显着差异（p=0.0003）。扁平轮廓（79% 对 50%，p=0.0028）、上皮下瘢痕形成（52% 对 13%，p<0.0001）和结膜血管充血（96% 对 63%，p=0.00011）与 SS 组相比，CC 中叶的比例显着更高。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。0001) 并且与 SS 组有显着差异 (p=0.0003)。扁平轮廓（79% 对 50%，p=0.0028）、上皮下瘢痕形成（52% 对 13%，p<0.0001）和结膜血管充血（96% 对 63%，p=0.00011）与 SS 组相比，CC 中叶的比例显着更高。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。0001) 并且与 SS 组有显着差异 (p=0.0003)。扁平轮廓（79% 对 50%，p=0.0028）、上皮下瘢痕形成（52% 对 13%，p<0.0001）和结膜血管充血（96% 对 63%，p=0.00011）与 SS 组相比，CC 中叶的比例显着更高。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。结论 CC和SS引起的缺水性干眼患者泪腺主睑叶的形态特征明显扭曲；然而，EDE 患者的眼叶与正常眼睛相似。