Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the most common cause of dry eye syndrome. Upwards of 75% of dry eye patients have MGD, which causes dry eye due to increased evaporation of the tears or decreased tear production. MGD is also known as meibomitis or meibomianitis (inflammation of the meibomian glands).
Symptoms of MGD are exactly the same as dry eye symptoms, including crustiness, redness, blurry vision, itching and tearing.
The meibomian glands are located in your eyelids. There are 30 to 40 glands in your upper lids and slightly fewer in your lower lids. The glands secrete an oily substance through openings located on the edge of your eyelids adjacent to your eyelashes.
The oil is called meibom and is an oily mixture that forms the top layer of the tear film. The oil, also called “lipid,” prevents the watery tears from rapid evaporation.
There are 3 layers to a normal tear film;
- Oily or lipid layer (superficial top layer of tears)
- Aqueous (the actual fluid of tears)
- Mucin (allows tears to spread evenly across the eye)
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) ni sababu ya kawaida ya ugonjwa wa jicho kavu. Zaidi ya asilimia 75 ya wagonjwa wa macho kavu wana ugonjwa wa macho kavu (MGD) ambao husababishwa na kuongezeka kwa mvuke wa machozi au kupungua kwa uzalishaji wa machozi. MGD pia inajulikana kama meibomitis au meibomianitis (uchochezi wa tezi za meibomian). Dalili za ugonjwa wa macho kavu ni sawa na dalili za macho kavu, ikiwa ni pamoja na crustiness, nyekundu, maono blurry, kukwaruza na machozi. Meibomian glands ni sehemu ya ndani ya kiwiko cha jicho. Kuna gland 30 hadi 40 katika paji la juu la uso na kidogo zaidi katika paji la chini. Gland hizo hutokeza mafuta kupitia mashimo yaliyo kwenye pembe ya paji la macho yako. Mafuta hayo huitwa meibom na ni mchanganyiko wa mafuta unaofanyiza tabaka la juu la filamu ya machozi. Mafuta hayo, yanayoitwa pia "lipidi", huzuia machozi yenye maji yasivumilie haraka. Filamu ya machozi ya kawaida ina tabaka tatu: tabaka la mafuta au lipid (safu ya juu ya machozi) - Aqueous (mtiririko halisi wa machozi) - Mucin (inaruhusu machozi kuenea kwa usawa kwenye jicho).