Abstract: Objective To observe the clinical characteristics of keratitis associated with blepharitis and the relationship among keratitis, blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Design Retrospective cases series. Participants Eighty-four patients (168 eyes) with blepharitis who presented in Beijing Tongren Eye Center from January to October 2012. Method The type of blepharitis, secretion function of meibomian gland, clinical characteristics of keratitis associated with blepharitis were evaluated and scored by slit lamp microscope. The relationship between the signs and extent of keratitis and the type of the blepharitis, MGD were analysed. Main Outcome Measures blepharitis type, secretion function of meibomian gland, and clinical characteristics of keratitis. Results The histories of blepharitis in the participants was 10 days to 12 years (average 22.25±40.46 months). Of all the patients, 1 case (2 eyes) was anterior blepharitis, 42 cases (84 eyes) were posterior blepharitis, and 41 cases (82 eyes) were mixed blepharitis. Among them, 65 cases (104 eyes) were diagnosed as associated keratitis as well. Typically clinical findings consisted of punctuate epithelial erosions, marginal infiltrates, corneal ulcer，and cornea scar. Corneal infiltration and ulcer were more common in mixed blephatitis than in posterior blepharitis（P=0.003）. The scores of the secretion difficulty and the meibum in the patients with keratitis were higher significanly than in the patients without keratitis (t=-4.606 and 13.418, P=0.033 and 0.000). Conclusion The clinical signs of keratitis associated with blepharitis were various. Patients with mix blepharitis would be more commonly suffered infiltrates and ulcer in the cornea. The keratitis associated blepharitis is related closely to the dysfunction of the meibomain gland. 

Key words: blepharokerativitis, blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction