DURHAM, N.C.—Immune cells that normally rush in to protect the eyes from infection might actually be disrupting moisturizing glands and causing dry eye, a disease that afflicts more than 30 million people in the U.S. This finding from a research team led by Duke Eye Center could lead to more effective therapies for dry eyes instead of treatments that only address symptoms. “This study shows that some forms of Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) are inflammatory diseases, and our studies in mice confirm what we see in the tears of people with blocked glands,” said Duke ophthalmologist Preeya K. Gupta, M.D., a co-author of the study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. “This pathway may be a new target for therapeutic agents to help treat patients suffering from dry eye disease and MGD.” Read More.