A recent study published in Optometry and Vision Science suggests that a single TearCare treatment effectively reduces both the symptoms and signs of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) and maintains its effects for up to 12 months. MGD is a common eye condition that can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including dryness, redness, and irritation. Effective treatment options have been sought after to alleviate this condition by Thomas Chester and team.
Conducted at a single-center ophthalmology/optometry practice, the study aimed to determine how long the benefits of TearCare treatment last. TearCare involves controlled heating of the meibomian glands using SmartLids combined with manual expression of liquefied meibum by a physician. The research involved a retrospective analysis of data from 78 patients and evaluated both symptom relief and gland function.
Symptoms were assessed using the Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness Questionnaire (SPEED), while gland function was assessed using the meibomian gland expression (MGE) scores. Data was collected at multiple time points: 8 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months after treatment. The study also explored the effectiveness of TearCare across different subgroups, such as age, race, and sex.
The findings of the study were promising. The mean baseline SPEED score, which was 14, decreased significantly to 7.9 at eight weeks post-treatment. Impressively, the improvement in symptom relief was maintained at 6 months (7.7) and 12 months (7.9). However, at 18 months, there was a slight increase to 8.9, indicating some regression in symptom relief.
Gland function, as measured by the MGE score, also showed significant improvement. At baseline, the mean MGE was 4.9 in the right eye and 4.8 in the left eye. After eight weeks of TearCare treatment, the mean MGE score increased to 9.0 in both eyes, demonstrating a substantial improvement. This improvement was sustained at 6 months and 12 months, with scores of 8.6 and 7.8, respectively. At 18 months, there was a slight decline in the MGE score, with values of 6.8 in the right eye and 7.0 in the left eye.
Source:
Chester, T., Ferguson, T., & Chester, E. (2023). Localized Heat Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis of Efficacy over Time. In Optometry and Vision Science. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). https://doi.org/10.1097/opx.0000000000002053
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