REVIEW article
Front. Med.
Sec. Ophthalmology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1613263
This article is part of the Research TopicMolecular Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Dry Eye Disease and Meibomian Gland DysfunctionView all 3 articles
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Sjögren's Disease
Provisionally accepted
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
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For many years, lacrimal gland dysfunction was considered the primary cause of dry eye disease in Sjögren's Disease (SjD). However, recent studies reveal that meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is also a significant contributor in dry eye associated with SjD. Recent evidence shows severe meibomian gland damage, reduced tear lipid layer thickness, and abnormal tear evaporation rates, which could exacerbate dry eye symptoms in SjD. These findings challenge the traditional view of SjD dry eye as solely aqueous-deficiency and highlight the role of evaporative dry eye in SjD. While the exact mechanisms linking MGD to SjD remain unclear, researchers propose that inflammation, androgen deficiency, and neurological factors may play key roles. Despite these findings, there is limited research on targeted therapies for SjD-related MGD, which may contribute to why many SjD patients do not experience optimum relief with conventional treatments. This report examines the manifestation of MGD in SjD, explores potential pathophysiological mechanisms, and reviews current management strategies aimed at addressing SjD-related MGD, highlighting the need for further research to improve treatment outcomes.
Keywords: Sjögren's syndrome, Sjögren's disease, dry eye, MGD, pathophysiology, Evaporative dry eye, Autoimmune dry eye
Received: 16 Apr 2025; Accepted: 22 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Anuwa-Amarh and Ziemanski. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Esther Nutifafa Anuwa-Amarh, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Jillian F Ziemanski, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
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