The effect of isotretinoin on meibomian glands in eyes: a pilot study

The aim of this pilot study was to quantify the meibography changes in patients administered with oral isotretinoin.

This prospective pilot study included 30 eyes of 30 patients who received oral isotretinoin treatment due to acne. Each patient underwent a general ophthalmological examination. After fluorescence staining of the ocular surface, the tear film break-up time (TFBUT) test, meibography and Schirmer test were carried out and noted. All of these procedures were applied before the treatment and repeated at 1, 3, and 6 months after the treatment.

The percentage of upper meibomian gland (MG) loss at 3 and 6 months after the treatment was 22.2% (p = 0.001) and 23.6% (p = 0.001), respectively. The percentage of lower MG loss at 3 and 6 months after the treatment was 18.7% (p = 0.001) and 20.7% (p = 0.001), respectively. The corneal fluorescein staining score at 3 and 6 months after treatment was 0.57 (p = 0.001), and 0.47 (p = 0.012), respectively.

These findings show that oral isotretionin treatment may affect MG morphology. The study findings also suggest that isotretinoin may cause tear film instability with Meibomian gland dysfunction and may cause evaporative type of dryness.