ArticleOphthalmology and therapy2023
The Effect of Oral Isotretinoin Therapy on Meibomian Gland Characteristics in Patients with Acne Vulgaris.
Article in Ophthalmology and therapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Potential Harms of Ocular and Periorbital Topical Vitamin A Application: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2026Pooled it
- Simultaneous and recurrent hordeola and chalazia associated with tirzepatide therapy: a case series.JCEM case reports · 2026Article
- Highlighting Ophthalmic Adverse Effects Associated with Isotretinoin.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Bridging Therapeutics and Nanotechnology in Dry Eye Disease: A Review of Risk Factors, Drug Delivery Barriers, and Recent and Future Endeavors for Disease Management.AAPS PharmSciTech · 2026Review
- An interdisciplinary scoping review of the emerging impact of periocular skincare products on the ocular surface microbiome and tear film stability.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Drugs linked to blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, and chalazion: a real-world, population-based pharmacovigilance analysis.Eye (London, England) · 2025Article
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5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe aim of the study was to determine the effect of oral isotretinoin therapy on the functional and morphological condition of the anterior segment of the eye, with particular emphasis on the meibomian glands.
methodsTwenty-four patients (48 eyes) with a diagnosis of acne vulgaris were involved in the survey. All patients underwent a thorough ophthalmological examination at three time points: before therapy, 3 months after the start of therapy, and 1 month after the completion of isotretinoin therapy. The physical examination included the following elements: blink rate, analysis of the lid margin abnormality score (LAS), tear film break-up time (TFBUT) and Schirmer's test, meibomian gland loss (MGL), and the evaluation of the meibum quality score (MQS) and meibum expressibility score (MES). Additionally, the total score of an ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was analysed.
resultsIn comparison with pretreatment values, significant increases in OSDI during and after the treatment (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004, respectively) were observed. Substantial deterioration during the treatment was observed for MGL (p < 0.0001), MQS (p < 0.001) and LAS (p < 0.0001), while an improvement in those parameters after isotretinoin cessation was observed (p = 0.006, p = 0.02 and p = 0.0003, respectively). The frequency of using artificial eye drops was positively associated with MGL during (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (Rs) = + 0.31; p = 0.03) and after the cessation of the therapy (Rs = + 0.28; p = 0.04). Meibomian gland atrophy correlated significantly with MQS during (Rs = + 0.29; p = 0.04) and after treatment (Rs = + 0.38; p = 0.008). The decrease in TFBUT values correlated with increased LAS (Rs = - 0.31; p = 0.03) during the course of isotretinoin usage. We found no changes in Schirmer's test or blink rates.
conclusionIsotretinoin therapy leads to increased ocular complaints related to lipid tear film component dysfunction. This is due to reversible changes in meibomian gland morphology and function observed during drug usage.
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