NON-INVASIVE EVALUATION OF MEIBOMIAN GLAND MORPHOLOGY AND TEAR FILM AND ANTERIOR SEGMENT PARAMETERS IN TOPICAL LATANOPROST AND LATANOPROSTENE BUNOD USERS FOR OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA MEDICATION

To compare the effects of topical latanoprost and latanoprostene bunod medications on meibomian glands (MG), non-invasive tear film break-up time (NITBUT), and corneal and anterior segment measurements.

Cross-sectional observational case series

The study included 15 open angle glaucoma (OAG) patients receiving latanoprostene bunod (group 1) and 15 OAG patients receiving preservative free latanoprost (group 2) for at least 3 months. The first and average NITBUT, MG loss, mean keratometry (Km), central (CCT) and thinnest (TCT) corneal thicknesses, anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), irido-corneal angle (ICA), and corneal volume (CV) results were analyzed with a non-contact, non-invasive rotating Scheimpflug camera system (Sirius Topography, CSO, Italy). All data analyses were performed using SPSS package program version 25.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). In descriptive statistics, categorical variables were given as mean and standard deviation values. Comparison of two independent groups of numerical variables was performed with the Student's t-test when the normal distribution condition was met, and with the Mann Whitney U-test when the normal distribution condition was not met. The level of statistical significance was accepted as p <0.05.

The mean MG loss values were 21.2±11.5 and 21.7±8.4 in group 1 and 2, respectively (p> 0.05). MG loss (meiboscale ≥ 1) was determined in 27 eyes (90%) in group 1 and in 28 (93%) eyes in group 2. There was no significant difference between the groups in respect of NITBUT, OSDI, Km, CCT, TCT, ACD, ACV, ICA and CV values (p > 0.05, for all).

Anterior segment imaging and clinical tests showed ocular surface damage in patients using especially preserved antiglaucoma medications. Meibomian gland dysfunction can be an important clinical finding associated with compliance of prostoglandine monotherapy in patients with glaucoma. There was no statistically difference in the short-term effects of two drugs on the meibomian glands. However future studies are needed to show long-term effects.