Purpose
The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the meibomian glands (MG) and tear film in contact lens wearers (CLW) and previous contact lens wearers (PW) compared to non-wearers (NW).
Methods
Seventy four participants (mean age ± SD: 25.4 ± 4.4) were recruited as a part of an ongoing cross-sectional study. The following procedures were conducted on 41 CLW, 14 PWs and 19 NWs to investigate: (1) Symptoms of dry eye (Ocular surface disease index); (2) function of MGs and tear film (e.g. MG expressibility, non-invasive break up time (NIBUT), lipid layer thickness, phenol red thread (PRT), tear meniscus cross-sectional area (TMA), tear osmolarity, tear evaporation rate and lid wiper staining); (3) morphology of MGs (MG drop out, Marx line position, and orifices status). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Kruskall-Wallis test were used to compare the parametric and non parametric measurements between groups in this study.
Results
The results of the study are shown in table 1. MG drop-out, evaporation rate, Marx line score, and the number of plugged orifices were significantly higher in CLWs and PWs compared to NWs. MG expressibility score, PRT, NIBUT and TMA were significantly less in CLWs and PWs. Tear osmolarity was only significantly less in PWs group ( p= 0.041 ) when compared to the non wearers. Other measurements were not significantly different between groups.
Conclusions
CL wear is associated with negative changes to the tear film and MG function and morphology. These changes appear to persist even after at least 6-months of CL wear discontinuation.
Keywords: 477 contact lens •
526 eyelid