Meibomian gland disease (MGD) is the leading cause of dry eye disease, affecting millions across the US1,2

MEIBOMIAN GLAND DISEASE

Meibomian gland disease occurs when the meibomian glands do not secrete enough high-quality oil to effectively lubricate the surface of the eyes, resulting in dry eye, irritation, and fluctuating vision.1,3

patient photo with eye looking up
magnifying glass eye

MGD is an underdiagnosed and often undertreated disease.1,4

side arrow shape
close-up of MGD symptoms

Symptoms of MGD5,6:

  • Foreign body sensation
  • Burning
  • Eyelid itching
  • Crusting
  • Red eye
  • Light sensitivity
  • Erythema of the eyelids
  • Soreness
  • Excess tearing

Impact of disease

When left untreated, symptoms may worsen and lead to1,5,6:

  • Inflammation
  • Discomfort
  • Blurry vision
  • Alteration of tear film
  • Gland shrinkage and deterioration
  • Permanent and/or progressive gland loss
  • Ocular surface disease

An infestation of Demodex mites may contribute to MGD.7,8

There are currently no FDA-approved pharmacologic treatments for MGD9

Learn about a potential treatment being investigated
References

1. Nichols KK, Foulks GN, Bron AJ, et al. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: executive summary. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52(4):1922-1929. 2. Sun M, Moreno IY, Dang M, Coulson-Thomas VJ. Meibomian gland dysfunction: what have animal models taught us? Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(22):8822. 3. Pitts J, Lievens C. Put the squeeze on meibomian gland disease. Review of Optometry. Published September 16, 2009. Accessed August 11, 2023. https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/put-the-squeeze-on-meibomian-gland-disease 4. Geerling G, Tauber J, Baudouin C, et al. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on management and treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52(4):2050-2064. 5. Meibomian gland dysfunction and treatment. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Updated December 2020. Accessed August 11, 2023. https://aapos.org/glossary/meibomian-gland-dysfunction-and-treatment 6. Chhadva P, Goldhardt R, Galor A. Meibomian gland disease: the role of gland dysfunction in dry eye disease. Ophthalmology. 2017;124(11S):S20-S26. 7. Liu J, Sheha H, Tseng SC. Pathogenic role of Demodex mites in blepharitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;10(5):505-510. 8. Zhang XB, Ding YH, He W. The association between Demodex infestation and ocular surface manifestations in meibomian gland dysfunction. Int J Ophthalmol. 2018;11(4):589-592. 9. Tarsus initiates phase 2a Ersa trial evaluating TP-03 for the treatment of meibomian gland disease. News release. Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. August 5, 2022. Accessed August 11, 2023. https://ir.tarsusrx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tarsus-initiates-phase-2a-ersa-trial-evaluating-tp-03-treatment

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