Meibomian gland atrophy timeframe

[justbob]

Is there any consensus on how long it takes for meibomian glands to atrophy? I've seen varied timeframes, been told some that are clearly silly (decades). Seems like a very important point, as a lot of new people probably are thinking "how much time do I have left to figure this out?".

[littlemermaid]

I do suspect this 'meibomian gland atrophy' business is almost entirely reported by people selling unblocking procedures. My d has had MGD 6y and she's not atrophied, IMHO (in my humble opinion), and she has still got periorificial 'steroid rosacea' quite badly, p&p flares, not just flushing. Maybe for atrophy there would have to be actual cell function changes in the acinar glands (no medical training etc). Otherwise it's just blockage and possibly skin thickening (keratinization). We had awesome clearance to thin oil on 6 days of topical Azyter, but I just needed to use it as a one-off. We don't want to be bunging in stuff on the eyes too much when we're very sensitive.

Are you overdoing it and squeezing out too much good stuff? Have you got chalazia? or is it more like sensitive red swelling?

[indrep]

I have heard as little as five years and as long as "who knows". I think the answer for any individual would be a an answer that came from that individual's unique set of circumstances.

I would think that it is extremely rare that all meibomian glands would atrophy at the same time.

[cathy8889]

I've read 36 months, but I guess it depends on how chronic the inflammation and whether there were times when inflammation reduced but then increased again.

I had a meibography done last week, top lid meibomian glands are ok but bottom are in a bad way, some have atrophied, on the meibography I could just see a blank space where the gland used to be. Others have become a lot shorter and look trunk like.

I have had dry eye symptoms for 8 years, since September 2012 things started getting worse and worse (inflammation getting out of control) and I think since September 2012 all the damage might have been done to glands.

[xpro]

I have read mixed reports, that even after atrophy, if the cause of the inflammation is known and controlled, the glands regenerate. Some doctors say once atrophy happens it will never regenerate. But Doctor ****** told me that he has seen the glands regenerate many times. I have also read a few reports on the glands regenerating after atrophy. There are stem cells at the eyelid margins which are capable of regeneration.

[justbob]

My d has had MGD 6y and she's not atrophied,.

Could be a youth thing?

We had awesome clearance to thin oil on 6 days of topical Azyter, but I just needed to use it as a one-off. We don't want to be bunging in stuff on the eyes too much when we're very sensitive.

Wish I could get some of that.

Are you overdoing it and squeezing out too much good stuff?

I don't know, self treating, doctor uninterested.

Have you got chalazia? or is it more like sensitive red swelling?

No, just red margins, thicker oil and increasingly poor performance.