Authors:Zhu Lei, Hao Yiran, Zhao Mengnan, Tian Lei, Jie Ying
Corresponding author: Jie Ying, Email:jie_yingcn@aliyun.com
Published:2026-10-10
DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn115989-20260103-00002
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a domestic liquid pulsation technology (LPT) dry eye treatment device combined with cyclosporine A eye drops in treating moderate meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and to compare it with conventional meibomian gland expression.
Methods A randomized controlled study was conducted. Eighty patients (80 eyes) diagnosed with moderate MGD at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, from November 2024 to March 2025 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: the LPT group (40 patients, 40 eyes) and the meibomian gland expression group (40 patients, 40 eyes). All patients received a single session of the assigned meibomian gland physical therapy, followed by concomitant 0.05% cyclosporine A eye drops twice daily for 4 weeks. Primary outcome measures included meibomian gland secretion score (MGS) and orifice plugging score (OPS). Secondary outcome measures included tear break-up time (TBUT), tear meniscus height (TMH), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFS), lipid layer thickness (LLT), and Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaire score. The differences in indicators before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the incidence of adverse reactions during the treatment period was observed. The study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University (No. TREC2024-KY120). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.
Results After 4 weeks of treatment, upper and lower eyelid MGS and OPS decreased significantly from baseline in the LPT group (Z=-4.618, -4.980, -4.667, -5.010; all P<0.001), and there were no significant changes in the meibomian gland expression group (Z=-1.611, -0.350, -0.980, 0.576; all P>0.05). Post-treatment upper and lower eyelid MGS and OPS were significantly lower in the LPT group than in the meibomian gland expression group (U=509.500, 350.500, 519.000, 343.500; all P<0.01). Compared with baseline, the SPEED score significantly decreased and TBUT significantly increased in the LPT group (Z=-3.637, 4.398; both P<0.05), whereas TBUT and LLT significantly decreased in the meibomian gland expression group (Z=-1.995, -2.422; both P<0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, the SPEED score was lower, TBUT was longer, and the CFS score was higher in the LPT group than in the meibomian gland expression group (U=504.000, 188.500, 570.500; all P<0.05). No serious adverse events occurred in either group.
Conclusions LPT combined with cyclosporine A is safe and effective for moderate MGD and is significantly superior to conventional meibomian gland expression in improving meibomian gland function and tear film stability.
KEYWORDS：
Meibomian gland dysfunction;Liquid pulsation technology;Cyclosporine A;Dry eye
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Authors Info & Affiliations
Zhu Lei
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
Hao Yiran
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
Zhao Mengnan
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
Tian Lei
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
Jie Ying
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
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