AIM: To explore a safe and effective integrated Chinese-Western therapy for xerophthalmia caused by meibomian gland dysfunction in the young and middle-aged, providing the rationale for the therapy for xerophthalmia.

METHODS:A total of 74 young and middle-aged yin deficiency and dryness heat patients(148 eyes)with xerophthalmia caused by meibomian gland dysfunction, who were visited at Ophthalmology Departments of our hospital and PLA 161^st Hospital between Feb. 2011 and Jan. 2015. They were assigned to the study group and the control group(each n=37, 74 eyes)in a randomized and average fashion. The latter received routine Western therapy, administration of artificial tears, while the former additionally received self-made Erdong Yuzhu Decoction(a traditional Chinese medicine)therapy on the same basis as the control group. Efficacy was evaluated and recorded were made regarding examination results, including pre- and posttreatment Schirmer Ⅰ tests(SⅠt), tear break-up time(BUT), width of lacrimal river, blood routine examination, and hepatic and renal function, and adverse reactions during treatment.

RESULTS: The cure rates and total response rates were 28.4% vs 13.5% and 85.1% vs 70.3% for patients in the study group and the control group, respectively(χ²=12.255, 6.547,P<0.05). Before treatment, patients in both groups showed comparable results of SⅠt, BUT and width of lacrimal river(P>0.05); 90d after treatment, the above three results in the study group were superior to those before treatment(P<0.05)and the homochromous control group(P<0.05). Patients enrolled had mild adverse actions.

CONCLUSION: It is a clinically considerable and propagable that Erdong Yuzhu Decoction plus routine Western therapy is a safe and effective integrated Chinese-Western therapy for xerophthalmia caused by meibomian gland dysfunction in the young and middle-aged.