To evaluate the effect and prognostic factors of automated thermodynamic treatment (thermal compression therapy device [KCL 1100®]) for Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Patients (48 eyes of 24 subjects) with MGD were recruited for a prospective clinical trial. Patients received 15-minute treatments twice a day using the KCL 1100®. Severity of dry eye symptoms were evaluated using the Standard Patient Evaluation for Eye Dryness (SPEED) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), and severity of Meibomian gland function was evaluated using the Meibomian gland expressibility (MGE), Meibomian gland secretion (MGS) score and lipid layer thickness measured by LipiView®. To evaluate ocular surface, we measured tear break-up time (BUT) and fluorescein corneal staining score (Oxford scale). Data were presented for baseline and at 2 weeks and 1 month post-treatment.

Dry eye symptom (SPEED, OSDI), Meibomian gland function (MGE, MGS), and ocular surface index (BUT, Oxford scale) of patients were significantly improved from baseline to 2 weeks ( p < 0.05) and 1 month post-treatment ( p < 0.05). In addition, patients with more severe dry eye symptom and Meibomian gland index at baseline examination achieved improvement in mild to moderate MGD ( p < 0.05). Improvement of Meibomian gland function (MGE) was associated with improvement of ocular surface index (BUT, Oxford scale) ( p < 0.05), but not with improvement of dry eye symptom (SPEED, OSDI) ( p > 0.05). There were no significant adverse events during the treatment.

KCL 1100® automated thermodynamic treatment is an effective and safe treatment for MGD. Additionally, KCL 1100® is more effective in patients with moderate dry eye symptom and MGD.