The feature of meibomian glands and tear film lipid layer in dry eye of children with long-term visual display terminals exposure

Objective

To evaluate the feature of meibomian glands and tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT) in dry eye of children with long-term visual display terminals (VDTs) exposure.

Methods

Cross-sectional case control observation was performed.Eighty-four 6-14 years old children (149 eyes) with long or short time VDTs exposure from January to August 2017 in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital were enrolled, including 29 children 56 eyes for long time VDTs group and 55 children 93 eyes for short time VDTs group.Questionnaires were designed to detect disease history and ocular surface disease index (OSDI). Slit lamp microscopy, Keratograph 5 M, lipiview ocular surface interometry examination, corneal-conjunctival fluorescence staining, tear film break-up time (BUT) and Schirmer test (SⅠt) were performed on all the subjects.The subjective OSDI and clinical signs were compared between long time VDTs group and short time VDTs group and correlation between OSDI and clinical signs were analyzed in each group.This study followed the declaration of Helsinki.Informed consent was obtained from each subject or the guardian prior to any medical examination.

Results

Compared with the short time VDTs group, high OSDI value and long average noninvasive BUT (NIBUTav) were observed in the long time VDTs group, the differences were statistically significant (OSDI: t=-2.662, P=0.009; NIBUTav: Z=2.315, P=0.021). The meibomian gland dropout score was significantly different between the 2 group (χ²=11.779, P=0.008). In long time VDTs group, OSDI was negatively correlated with SⅠt (r_s=-0.598, P=0.050) and positively correlated with meibomian gland dropout score and NIBUTav (r_s=0.522, P=0.022; r_s=0.597, P=0.011). In short time VDTs group, OSDI was positively correlated with first time noninvasive BUT (NIBUTf), NITBUTav and partial blink rate (r_s=0.372, P=0.030; r_s=0.408, P=0.008; r_s=0.426, P=0.050).

Conclusions

Compared with short time VDTs exposure, the value of subjective OSDI was high and meibomian gland dropout was serious in long term VDTs exposure dry eye children.The OSDI value is associated with NIBUTf and partial blink ratio in short time VDTs dry eye children.

Dry eye; Children; Meibomian gland dropout; Partial blink; Visual display terminals