What Is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)?
When the eyelid glands and the eyes and eyelids are all working normally, then you are not aware of your eyes. When the normal function of the eyelids is disturbed, then symptoms arise which cause you to be aware of your eyes on a daily, hourly or even minute by minute basis. When your eyes are constantly uncomfortable it is very difficult to concentrate on anything else. When the eyelid gland secretions become viscous, they cause plugging of the gland orifices and these plugs of solidified secretion prevent the normal sebaceous oily secretion from oozing out onto the free eyelid margins and prevent the lubricating action on the eye surface. The meibomian glands run vertically in the eyelids, both upper and lower eyelids and there are about 25-30 openings (orifices) on the edge of both upper and lower eyelids. Meibomian gland dysfunction results in several symptoms. The main symptom is one of awareness of the eyes tending to occur with grittiness or foreign body sensation. Sometimes th
