U.S. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Market Analysis

Meibomian gland dysfunction is a cause of dry eye syndrome (DES), also known as keratisis sicca and keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Patients with DES suffer damage to the ocular surface, instability in the tear film, and visual disturbance. Tear film covers the ocular surface, which is made up of three intertwined layers, a superficial lipid layer, produced by meibomian glands, which assists in reducing tear evaporation and uniform tear spreading, middle thick aqueous layer produced from lacrimal glands, and the innermost hydrophilic mucin layer produced from goblet cells of conjunctiva and epithelium of ocular surface.

The U.S. meibomian gland dysfunction market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,976.6 million in 2020 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 15.4% during the forecast period (2020-2030).

Figure 1. U.S. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Market Share (%) by Drug Type, 2020

The increasing prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction syndrome is expected to drive the market growth during the forecast period.

According to the Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, meibomian gland disease (also referred as evaporative dry eye), is one of the most common causes of dry eyes across the globe. An estimated 50 to 70% of the elderly population has some degree of dry eye and nearly 70% of dry eye involves at least some degree of meibomian gland disease.

According to a study published by the American Optometric Association in 2017, more than 16 million Americans, including twice as many women than men, were suffering from dry eye disease, and out of them around 70% of patients had meibomian gland disease.

Furthermore, certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, decongestants, and blood pressure medications can reduce tear production leading to dry eye symptoms which cause meibomian gland dysfunction.

Figure 2. U.S. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Market Share (%), by Distribution Channel, 2020

The increasing excess usage of computers and mobile screens is expected to increase the incidence of meibomian gland dysfunction over the period of time

People who frequently use computers or video screens are at high risk of developing meibomian gland dysfunction, as using screens for a long duration can lead to reduced blinking and tears production. Digital device usage has increased significantly in recent years among all age groups, due to extensive use for social and professional purposes.

Blue light emitted by digital screens can lead to symptoms of dry eyes which cause meibomian gland dysfunction. Exposure to blue light (range of 400–500 nm) can be harmful to the retina. Longer duration and less intense light exposure can also induce photochemical damage in the eyes.

Furthermore, lack of sleep and excessive stress can play a crucial role in the onset of dry eye syndrome due to oily tear gland dysfunction.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2017 report, over 40 million American workers get less than six hours of sleep per night.

U.S. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Market Report Coverage

Report Coverage	Details
Base Year:	2019	Market Size in 2019:	US$ 1,976.6 Mn
Historical Data for:	2016 to 2019	Forecast Period:	2020 to 2030
Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 CAGR:	15.4%	2030 Value Projection:	US$ 8,292.0 Mn
Geographies covered:	U.S.
Segments covered:	By Drug Type: Cyclosporine, Omega-3 supplements, Antibacterial eye drops, Steroids, AZR MD 001, TP 03, NOV03 (Novatears), HY02 - Minocycline. By Route of Administration: Oral, Topical. By Distribution Channel: Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, Online Pharmacies.
Companies covered:	Pfizer, Inc., AbbVie Inc., Johnson and Johnson Vision Care Inc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., Novartis AG, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., I-MED Pharma Inc., OASIS Medical, Sentiss Pharma Pvt. Ltd., RegeneRx, and Akorn, Inc.
Growth Drivers:	The increasing prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction syndrome Excessive usage of computer and mobile screens Product launches
Restraints & Challenges:	Potential side effects of drugs used in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction syndrome Difficulty in diseases diagnosis

U.S. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Market – Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Since the COVID-19 virus outbreak in December 2019, the disease has spread to over 100 countries around the globe with the World Health Organization declaring it a public health emergency. According to the World Health Organization’s report, the manifestation of coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in more than 6.61 million infected individuals in the U.S. as of 16 September 2020. COVID-19 can affect the economy in three main ways; by directly affecting production and demand, by creating disruptions in distribution channels, and through its financial impact on firms and financial markets. In the U.S., according to the latest update of Economic Times, there has been a plunge in consumer spending as people stayed home and avoided shopping, traveling or gathering in crowds and caused the economy to sink at an estimated annual rate of 32% in the April-June 2020 quarter.

Furthermore, players operating in the U.S. meibomian gland dysfunction market are facing major challenges on various fronts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The major challenges include supply of raw materials for manufacturing drug formulations due to irregularities in transportation facility. Moreover, distributors of drug products are experiencing irregular demand from the retailers.

U.S. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Market: Restraints

Potential side effects of drugs, such as steroids, used in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction syndrome have a wide range of side effects on the body of the patient who is continuously taking more than the prescribed dose of steroids for a longer period of time. This is expected to restrain the market growth during the forecast period.

Difficulty in disease diagnosis is also expected to hamper the market growth during the forecast period. Since, there is no single test for the diagnosis of meibomian gland dysfunction, clinicians use slit lamp findings such as lid observations, tear meniscus height, and corneal staining for assessment of this disease. Many other tests such as tear film osmolarity, inflammatory markers, and conjunctival staining are not widely used as these are expensive and take longer time. Moreover, there is a discrepancy among signs and symptoms and results of various tests for meibomian gland dysfunction as they do not correlate with each other. This variability can create confusion among patients and healthcare providers about the best course of treatment.

Key Players

Major players operating in the U.S. meibomian gland dysfunction market are Pfizer, Inc., AbbVie Inc., Johnson and Johnson Vision Care Inc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., Novartis AG, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., I-MED Pharma Inc., OASIS Medical, Sentiss Pharma Pvt. Ltd., RegeneRx, and Akorn, Inc.