Open Access<p>Intraductal meibomian gland probing: background, patient selection, procedure, and perspectives</p>
Author(s) -
Steven L. Maskin,
Sreevardhan Alluri
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
clinical ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1177-5483
pISSN - 1177-5467
DOI - 10.2147/opth.s183174
Subject(s) - meibomian gland , medicine , refractory (planetary science) , cystic fibrosis , ophthalmology , eyelid , physics , astrobiology
Obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction is the most common cause of dry eye. Its conventional treatment has focused on using heat and pressure with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial therapies but has often been a frequent, frustrating experience for patient and physician. New evidence from Meibomian gland intraductal probing suggests fixed intraductal strictures and obstruction correlating to periductal fibrosis first described in 1997. The use of intraductal probing has been reported, by this author and in at least ten independent peer-reviewed academic papers from around the world, to consistently lead to statistically significant improvement in signs and symptoms of gland dysfunction including cases refractory to other extensive treatments. This review will focus on the background of meibomian gland intraductal probing as well as patient selection, procedure, and perspectives.