Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
What is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction?
Symptoms of MGD include red and/or itchy eyes, dry eyes, feeling grittiness, sometimes blurred vision. Your eyes may feel heavy. Your doctor can determine whether you have this condition. One test she may do is to press the eyelids to release some meibum. A diagnostic tool standardizes the amount of force needed to express meibum from the meibomian glands. The tool makes it easier for your doctor to assess not only whether there is a problem, but the severity.
Because meibomian dysfunction impacts the quality of your tear film, your doctor will also need to assess the quality, stability, and quantity of your tears. A common test is the tear breakup time (TBUT) test. Your doctor will add a slight amount of dye to the surface of your eyes and then examine your eyes with a light that makes your tears glow (cobalt blue light) to see how quickly the dye dissipates indicating tear film stability.
