A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Determine the Effect of Azasite on Corneal Surface Irregularity in Subjects With Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

This will be a single-center, randomized, vehicle-controlled, double-masked, clinical trial comparing a four week course of Azasite (azithromycin ophthalmic 1%) to vehicle (Durasite®) in patients with MGD-related evaporative dry eye. All patients will be evaluated at screening, baseline, two weeks, four weeks, and six weeks. The primary outcome measure will be improvement, as compared to baseline, in corneal irregularity as measured by a topographically-derived value, the Corneal Irregularity Measurement (CIM). Secondary outcome measures will be a global symptom score, tear film break up time, meibomian gland secretion characteristics, best-corrected distance visual acuity, corneal staining, axial topography based astigmatism patterns, and IOL Master keratometry. We will enroll 60 eyes of 30 patients, and each patient will be randomly assigned to receive Azasite in one eye and vehicle (Durasite®) in the fellow eye.