Purpose:
To evaluate the relationship between age and lid margin health.
Methods:
The lower lid margin and meibomian glands of seventy-four (74)subjects were evaluated. Subject photos were captured and graded.Subject photos were organized into seven age groups (0-18, 19-35,36-45, 46-55, 55-66, 67-77, and 78-92). Lid evaluation variablesconsisted of gland alignment, lid hyperkeratinization, lid vascularity,peri-gland redness, gland secretion color, gland height, cross-sectionalposterior lid margin, and lash misdirection.
Results:
Positive correlations exist between age and gland alignment(r=0.82, p=0.0001), lid hyperkeratinization (r=0.75, p=0.0001),lid vascularity (r=0.67, p=0.0001), gland secretion color (r=0.75,p=0.0001), cross-sectional posterior lid margin (r=0.793, p=0.0001),and lash misdirection (r=0.80, p=0.0001). Significance betweengroup differences were observed for gland alignment (F=27.92,p=0.009), lid hyperkeratinization (F=20.66, p=0.0001), lid vascularity(F=12.92, p=0.0001}, gland secretion color (F=17.61, p=0.0001),cross-sectional posterior lid margin (F=22.59, p=0.0001), andlash misdirection (F=20.81, p=0.0001). The following table showsage-sorted mean gland alignment, lid hyperkeratinization, lidvascularity, peri-gland redness, gland secretion color, cross-sectionalposterior lid margin, and lash misdirection.
Conclusions:
The data demonstrates that increasing severity of lid margindisease is positively correlated with age. These lid marginchanges appear to be of chronic inflammatory nature.