Trial reportThe ocular surface2020
A randomized, sham-controlled trial of intraductal meibomian gland probing with or without topical antibiotic/steroid for obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction.
Trial report in The ocular surface, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02256969 (Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial of Meibomian Gland Probing Versus Sham Procedure for Refractory Meibomian Gland Dysfunction), which is not on this map. Cited by 13 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial of Meibomian Gland Probing Versus Sham Procedure for Refractory Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Short-term efficacy of intense pulsed light in the treatment of hordeolum: A prospective cohort study.Medicine · 2026Trial
- Mechanisms and Safety of Therapeutic Strategies in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Narrative Review.Ophthalmic research · 2026Review
- The microenvironment of ocular surface in keratoconus: a systematic review.Eye and vision (London, England) · 2025Review
- Comparison of patient reported dry eye symptoms as evaluated by the ocular surface disease index and symptom assessment.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- Integrating ayurvedic eye care into primary health practice: an exploratory study on the combined effect ofFrontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- Meibomian Gland Probing Stimulates a Proliferative Epithelial Response Resulting in Duct Regeneration.Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Article
- Treatment of Dry Eye Disease (DED) in Asia: Strategies for Short Tear Film Breakup Time-Type DED.Pharmaceutics · 2023Review
- Comparison of the Ocular Surface Disease Index and the Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye Questionnaires for Dry Eye Symptom Assessment.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Clinical Practice Guidelines.Japanese journal of ophthalmology · 2023Article
- Dry Eye Disease Associated with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Focus on Tear Film Characteristics and the Therapeutic Landscape.Ophthalmology and therapy · 2023Review
- Glaucoma and Dry Eye Disease: Opportunity to Assess and Treat.Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Review
- Review of Literature on Intraductal Meibomian Gland Probing with Insights from the Inventor and Developer: Fundamental Concepts and Misconceptions.Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Review
- Personalized Management of Dry Eye Disease: Beyond Artificial Tears.Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
importanceObstructive meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) can be refractory to medical therapy. Intraductal meibomian gland (MG) probing may offer a potential therapeutic approach for these patients, but no randomized trials have been conducted to date.
objectiveTo assess clinical changes after intraductal MG probing for patients with refractory obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction.
designRandomized, double-masked, sham-controlled clinical trial.
settingSingle-center, tertiary referral center.
participants42 patients with refractory obstructive MGD associated with lid tenderness.
interventionsEnrolled patients received one of the following treatments: 1) MG probing plus post-procedural topical sulfacetamide/prednisolone ointment (Blephamide®), 2) MG probing plus post-procedural lubricating ointment (GenTeal), or 3) sham probing plus GenTeal ointment. The probing was performed on the upper lids of both eyes.
main outcome measuresPrimary outcome measures were symptoms as measured by Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Symptom Assessment iN Dry Eye (SANDE), as well as tear break-up time (TBUT). Secondary outcome measures were other clinical signs. Safety of the procedure was also evaluated by investigating the treatment-related adverse events. At baseline and 4 weeks after the procedure a masked observer evaluated the following outcome measures: symptom questionnaires, including OSDI and SANDE, upper lid tenderness, lid margin telangiectasia, corneal fluorescein staining, conjunctival lissamine green staining, TBUT, Schirmer's test, and meibomian glands yielding liquid secretion (MGYLS).
resultsCompared to baseline, the MG probing/Blephamide® group showed significant improvements in both OSDI and SANDE scores and the MG probing/GenTeal group demonstrated a significant improvement only in SANDE score. In contrast, the Sham/GenTeal group did not show any statistically significant changes in symptoms. There were no statistically significant changes in clinical signs in any group at the 4-week visit, except for improvement of lid tenderness in the sham probing group.
conclusionsMG probing/Blephamide® results in a significant improvement in symptoms in patients with refractory obstructive MGD without any significant effect on clinical signs. Larger studies are warranted to determine the efficacy of MG probing.
trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov(identifier NCT02256969, Filed on 08/13/2014).
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.