AIM:To analyze the clinical features of ectopic demodex infection in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction.

METHODS: A retrospective study. Totally 220 patients(440 eyes)with meibomian gland dysfunction were selected from November 2016 to June 2018. They were divided into uninfected group and infected group according to the concurrence of eyelash demodex infection. 110 patients(220 eyes)in each group. The ocular function indexes of the two groups were tested and compared, and the clinical characteristics of eyelash demodex infection were evaluated.

RESULTS: The incidence of itching, foreign body sensation, eye pain, dryness and astringency in the infected group was significantly higher than that in the non-infected group(P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the incidence of symptoms such as redness, secretion increase, fatigue and photophobia(P>0.05); the average tear film rupture time and basic tear secretion in the two groups were significantly lower than that in the normal level, and the infected group was significantly lower than that in the non-infected group(P<0.05). Corneal staining score and tarsal gland secretion function score in non-infected group were significantly lower than those in infected group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Patients with tarsal gland dysfunction are more likely to suffer from itching, dryness, eye pain and other symptoms after eyelash demodex infection, which increases the damage of corneal and conjunctival epithelium. It is of great significance to pay attention to demodex infection examination for patients with tarsal gland dysfunction.