DRY EYE AND MGD
WHAT IS MEIBOMIAN GLAND DYSFUNCTION (MGD)?While postmenopausal women make up the largest segment of Dry Eye sufferers in the U.S., those with MGD and blepharitis make up the second largest segement.3
MGD is a blockage or abnormality of the meibomian ("my-BOH-mee-an") gland, which is a particular type of gland in the eyelids. There are about 25 to 40 meibomian glands in the upper eyelid and 20 to 30 in the lower eyelid. The function of these glands is to secrete oils onto the surface of the eye. These oils help keep the tears from evaporating too quickly.
When glands are blocked, they cannot deliver the essential oils (or lipids) to your tears, causing them to evaporate too quickly. MGD can cause irritation in the eyes, so if you are suffering from symptoms of Dry Eye, ask your eye doctor if you could benefit from a lipid-enhanced tear, like REFRESH OPTIVE® Mega-3.
