Association between Dry Eye Questionnaires and Dry Eye Sign in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and the Standardized Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) which are standard questionnaires of dry eye syndrome were used to determine the associations between clinical dry eye tests and meibomian gland dysfunctions (MGD).METHODS: Forty-one patients with MGD were enrolled in this study. The score of the dry eye syndrome questionnaire and the degree of blepharitis (score: 0–4), Schirmer test results, degree of fluorescence staining of cornea (Oxford Grading System), tear break-up time (TBUT), Pentacam imaging, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography results were used to compare and analyze the results of each test for possible correlations with the dry eye questionnaire answers.RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between OSDI and SPEED (R = 0.278, p = 0.011). SPEED was correlated with the Oxford grade (R = 0.478, p < 0.001) and MGD grade (R = 0.280, p = 0.011) while there was no significant correlation with corneal aberrations, tear meniscus height, tear meniscus area, Schirmer test results, or TBUT. The OSDI correlated with the MGD grade (R = 0.651, p < 0.001), TBUT (R = −0.360, p = 0.001), and age (R = −0.230, p = 0.037). Using multiple regression analyses, the MGD grade affected the OSDI (β = 0.580, p < 0.001) and the Oxford grade significantly influenced the SPEED (β = 0.447, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: In Koreans, the OSDI questionnaire answers were associated with the MGD grade and SPEED questionnaire answers were associated with the corneal surface status. The OSDI questionnaire was therefore clinically useful in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction.