Abstract:  Objective To evaluate the feasibility of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) with the wavelength of 1310 nm in the morphological detection of meibomian gland. Design Prospective case series. Participants 8 volunteers (8 eyes) aged 19~50 years old. Methods All subjects were underwent the examinations of infrared meibomian gland tomography and AS-OCT. The AS-OCT scanning was taken in four different locations (meibomian orifices, the meibomian gland regions close to orifices and close to the zone of the fornix, and the middle area of meibomian gland). The images from AS-OCT were collected and processed with image-intensification software to clarify its morphology appearance. The existence and number of plugged meibomain gland orifices were detected and quantified. The width of every meibomain gland and the depth from the anterior surface of the palpebral conjunctiva were measured with ImageJ software. Main Outcome Measures morphology appearance of meibomain gland orifices, the width of meibomain gland, and the depth from the anterior surface of the palpebral conjunctiva. Results The AS-OCT images of meibomain gland from the meibomian orifices location exhibited the meibomian orifices clearly, and the number of the obstructed and plugged orifices could be counted and evaluated. The images from the meibomian gland regions close to orifices and close to the zone of the fornix location manifested the cross-section morphology of the meibomian gland, which is the ideal location of observation. Some cases manifested that meibomian gland with plugged orifices were matched with the larger dropout area of meibomian glands. In addition, these patients were revealed that unhealthy meibomian glands turned wider and located deeper from palpebral conjunctiva. Conclusion The AS-OCT with the wavelength of 1310 nm is a novel, noninvasive method for assessing the morphology of meibomian gland, and may have potential applications for the diagnosis and evaluation of meibomian gland dysfunction.

Key words: anterior segment optical coherence tomography, meibography system, meibomian gland dysfunction