Is the Meibopatch Heated Pad Useful in Treating Patients with Meibomian Gland-Related Dry Eye Disease? – Assessing Tolerability, Acceptance, and Effectiveness

Tasneem Elghazali Bakhiet, Abdus Samad Ansari, Gwyn Samuel Williams, Mahmoud Husseiny Awad, Alistair Thomas Swansea Eye Unit, Singleton Hospital, University of Swansea, Swansea, Wales, UKCorrespondence: Tasneem Elghazali Bakhiet, Email [email protected]: Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) significantly impacts vision-related quality of life and poses a substantial financial burden in ophthalmology practice globally. Projected expenditure on DES treatments is estimated to exceed 6.6 billion USD by 2027. The Meibopatch (VISUfarma International, Valbonne, France) represents one of the latest devices designed to enhance treatment adherence and aid in managing Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). However, its long-term acceptance and efficacy among patients with posterior blepharitis, a condition closely linked with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), has yet to be demonstrated.Methods: Patients with symptomatic non-responsive blepharitis were enrolled during clinic visits and asked to self-administer Meibopatch treatment for four weeks. The ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was utilized to evaluate symptoms both at baseline and following the four-week treatment period. Supplementary assessments on acceptability and tolerability were conducted through post-treatment questionnaires.Results: A total of 43 patients were recruited. The baseline pre-treatment OSDI score ± SD (Standard Deviation) was 47.9± 16.4, while the post-treatment OSDI value + SD was 37.7± 14.9. Analysis revealed a significant mean difference between pre- and post-treatment OSDI scores (p=0.0005), indicating notable symptomatic improvement over the assessment duration. However, the findings diverged from evaluations of acceptability and overall patient satisfaction with the Meibopatch.Conclusion: The results suggest that Meibopatch represents a safe therapeutic option for managing DES. However, the controversy arises from the incongruence between the substantial reduction in symptoms noted from the OSDI scores and the reported patient outcomes regarding satisfaction and effectiveness. Future efforts should focus on validating the OSDI in blepharitis patients and establishing patient-centered outcomes in the realm of DES.Keywords: meibomian gland, dry eye syndrome, blepharitis, meibomian gland warming, patient-reported outcomes