Quantitative evaluation of atopic blepharitis by scoring of eyelid conditions and measuring the water content of the skin and evaporation from the eyelid surface.

PURPOSE: To quantitatively evaluate the condition of the eyelid skin of patients with atopic blepharitis, their symptoms were scored and the water content of the skin and evaporation from the skin were measured.
METHODS: Forty patients with atopic blepharitis were examined. The condition of eyelid skin (erythema, edema/papulation/oozing/crust, excoriation/lichenification) was scored from 0 to 3 points. Water content and water evaporation were measured with a Moisture Checker and an evaporimeter, respectively. Eleven age-matched volunteers without atopic disorders were recruited as normal controls.
RESULTS: The Moisture Checker values and water evaporation from lid skin were significantly correlated (r = -0.44, p = 0.006). The Moisture Checker values of the patients with atopic blepharitis was 35.5+/-8.2% (44.7 +/-10.6% in the normal controls, p = 0.009), and water evaporation from their lid skin was 3.6+/-0.9 g/cm2 per second (2.0+/-0.3 g/cm2 per second, p < 0.001); then, the patients were divided into four groups, from "asymptomatic" to "severe," according to the sum of their blepharitis scores. Patients with lower blepharitis scores tended to have higher Moisture Checker values and lower water evaporation values.
CONCLUSION: Scoring of eyelid condition enabled us to objectively estimate the severity of atopic blepharitis. Measurements of the water content of lid skin and water evaporation from lid skin are useful in evaluation of the severity of this disease.