Topical review of the relationship between contact lens wear and meibomian gland dysfunction

Contact lens (CL) wearers often suffer from ocular discomfort, which leads to cessa-tion of CL wear. About 30% to 50% of CL wearers complain of dry eye (DE) symptoms. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is considered the most common cause of evaporative DE. Numerous studies have investigated whether CL wear might affect the meibomian glands. This manuscript reviews studies examining the relationship between CL use and MGD. A PubMed database search was conducted for studies published between 1980-2021 with one or a combination of search terms related to meibomian gland, meibomian gland dysfunction, contact lens, and/or dry eye. Of the 115 papers reviewed, 22 articles were identified that examined the association between CL and MGD. Fifteen showed that CL wear affects the morphology and function of mei-bomian glands (MGs), while seven reported no significant impact of CL wear on MGs. This review provides an overview of these studies, emphasizing the diagnostic tests of MGD and conclusions. The review highlights the need for longitudinal prospective large cohort studies with control non-CL wearers to clarify the ambiguous relationship between MGD and CL wear, with special attention to varying CL material and wear times in order to identify the long-term impact of CLs on MG.(c) 2022 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

Contact lens wearers often experience ocular discomfort, such as dry eye symptoms, which can lead to discontinuation of lens wear. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is identified as the primary cause of evaporative dry eye. This article reviews studies on the association between contact lens use and MGD, presenting evidence that suggests the impact of lens wear on meibomian gland morphology and function. However, further research is needed to clarify the relationship between MGD and contact lens wear, considering factors such as lens material and wear times, through prospective studies with control non-lens wearers.