AIM: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of different methods for moderate to severe meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD)related dry eye.

METHODS: The clinical data of 72 patients(144 eyes)with MGD related dry eye treated from March 2020 to September 2021 in the ophthalmology clinic of Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into moderate group(1/3RESULTS: Compared with pre-treatment, the OSDI scores of patients in group A and group B were significantly decreased at 1mo after treatment, and the results of NIBUTav and R-scan analysis were significantly improved(P<0.001), while the NITMH had no significant change(P>0.05). In the moderate group, the OSDI scores of group A and group B were significantly decreased, and the results of NIBUTav and R-scan analysis were significantly improved(P<0.01), while NITMH had no significant change(P>0.05). In the severe group, NIBUTav of the patients in group A improved significantly(P<0.001), while there was no significant change in other observation parameters(P>0.05), while the OSDI scores of the patients in group B were significantly decreased. And the results of NIBUTav and R-scan analysis were significantly improved(P<0.001), but there was no significant change in NITMH(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Both therapies were effective for moderate meibomian gland dysfunction related dry eye, while severe meibomian gland dysfunction related dry eye should be treated with fumigation massage of meibomian gland combined with intense pulsed light.