Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the structural changes in meibomian glands (MGs) and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)-associated ocular surface alterations in contact lens (CL) wearers.

Methods

This prospective, multi-center, cross-sectional study included 44 soft CL wearers, 21 rigid CL wearers, and 26 healthy non-wearers. After completing the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, the participants were examined for lid margin abnormalities, tear breakup times, ocular surface staining, meibum quality and expressibility. Afterwards upper and lower eyelid meibography and Schirmer I test were performed.

Results

A total of 91 participants (64 females and 27 males) (91 eyes) were classified into three groups. The mean percentage of meibomian gland loss (PMGL) was 25.3 ± 12.5 % in soft CL wearers, 34 ± 13.4 % in rigid CL wearers, and 18.4 ± 9.2 % in the control group. Mean OSDI score was higher in soft CL wearers (15.5 ± 18) than in the control group (3.5 ± 2.6) (p < 0.001) and the OSDI scores were correlated with mean PMGL in CL wearers (r = 0.411, p = 0.002, r = 0.588, p = 0.005, respectively). In soft CL wearers, the duration of CL use was the only predictive variable for mean PMGL in multivariate analysis. In a regression model including both CL groups, age and rigid CL material were predictive variables for mean PMGL.

Conclusions

CL use may cause MGD and this effect may be more pronounced in rigid CL wearers. In soft CL wearers, the duration of CL use is an important variable associated with MG loss, and subjective symptoms may guide the prediction of MG loss in these cases.

中文翻译：

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软性和硬性隐形眼镜佩戴者睑板腺损失的相关性

目的

本研究旨在评估隐形眼镜 (CL) 佩戴者的睑板腺 (MG) 和睑板腺功能障碍 (MGD) 相关眼表改变的结构变化。

方法

这项前瞻性、多中心、横断面研究包括 44 名软 CL 佩戴者、21 名刚性 CL 佩戴者和 26 名健康非佩戴者。完成眼表疾病指数 (OSDI) 问卷调查后，检查参与者的眼睑边缘异常、泪液破裂时间、眼表染色、睑脂质量和表达能力。之后进行上下眼睑睑板腺造影和 Schirmer I 测试。

结果

共有 91 名参与者（64 名女性和 27 名男性）（91 只眼睛）被分为三组。软 CL 佩戴者的睑板腺损失 (PMGL) 平均百分比为 25.3 ± 12.5 %，刚性 CL 佩戴者为 34 ± 13.4 %，对照组为 18.4 ± 9.2 %。软 CL 佩戴者的平均 OSDI 得分 (15.5 ± 18) 高于对照组 (3.5 ± 2.6) (p < 0.001)，并且 OSDI 得分与 CL 佩戴者的平均 PMGL 相关 (r = 0.411, p = 0.002, r = 0.588，p = 0.005，分别）。在软 CL 佩戴者中，CL 使用的持续时间是多变量分析中平均 PMGL 的唯一预测变量。在包括 CL 组的回归模型中，年龄和刚性 CL 材料是平均 PMGL 的预测变量。

结论

使用 CL 可能会导致 MGD，这种影响在刚性 CL 佩戴者中可能更为明显。在软 CL 佩戴者中，使用 CL 的持续时间是与 MG 丢失相关的重要变量，主观症状可能指导这些病例中 MG 丢失的预测。