Objective To compare the effects of modified meibomian gland pressing method and spontaneous meibomian gland massage in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 58 patients (58 eyes) with meibomian gland dysfunction who were treated in the Department of Ophthalmology, Army 73rd Group Military Hospital from March 2018 to December 2019. According to treatment methods, they were divided into self-massage group(n=28) and improved group (n=30). The meibomian gland massage method was used in the self-massage group, and the modified meibomian gland pressing method was used in the modified group. The ocular surface disease index score (OSDI), break-up time (BUT), Schirmer Ⅰtest (SⅠT) and corneal fluorescein sodium staining (FL) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results There were no significant differences in OSDI, BUT, SⅠT and FL between the two groups before treatment (P＞0.05). After treatment, the OSDI and FL scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment, BUT and SⅠt were longer than those before treatment, and the OSDI and FL scores of the modified group were lower than those of the self-massage group, BUT and SⅠt were longer than those of the self-massage group, the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Conclusion The modified meibomian gland pressing method and meibomian gland massage can effectively relieve the ocular symptoms caused by MGD and improve the quality of tear film. The modified meibomian gland pressing method is easy to operate, and the therapeutic effect is better than that of the patients with meibomian gland massage at home.