Greasy Eyes

Today, my 6 year old daughter was running around and talking about the “greasy eyes” of one of her toys.

Then I thought… can people have “greasy eyes”? Well, it may not be an exactly apt description, but many people have meibomian gland dysfunction. The meibomian glands are oil glands that are located at the edge of the eyelids and secrete onto the surface of the eye. In an ideal world, the meibomian gland contents are thin and come onto the surface of the eye smoothly. Frequently, however, people have meibomian gland contents that are thick–like the consistency of toothpaste when they exit the gland orifice. I might say that those who have the thicker secretions and are considered to have meibomian gland dysfunction may qualify for the moniker of “greasy eyes”!