Combining intense pulsed light therapy with diquafosol shows promise with dry eye relief

The combination of intense pulsed light therapy with 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solution holds promise in alleviating the signs and symptoms of severe evaporative dry eye disease, according to a study.

The study involved 66 participants diagnosed with evaporative dry eye (EDE), who were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups: intense pulsed light (IPL) and 3% diquafosol (DQS) ophthalmic solution therapy, IPL therapy alone, and sham therapy (as a control group).

The participants’ progress was assessed at baseline (D0), day 14 (D14), and day 28 (D28). Various parameters were evaluated, including non-invasive break-up time (NITBUT), tear-film lipid layer (TFLL), corneal conjunctival staining (CS), meibomian gland quality (MGQ), meibomian gland expression (MGEx), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI).

At the conclusion of the study (D28), the IPL + DQS therapy group exhibited superior outcomes compared to the IPL therapy alone and the sham therapy groups. Notable improvements were observed in the following aspects:

• NITBUT: The IPL + DQS group demonstrated a mean NITBUT of 12.03 seconds, surpassing the IPL group (10.47 seconds) and the sham group (4.57 seconds).
• TFLL: Tear-film lipid layer stability was enhanced in the IPL + DQS therapy group (2.09) compared to the IPL group (2.27) and the sham group (2.89).
• CS: Corneal conjunctival staining, indicative of ocular surface damage, significantly reduced in the IPL + DQS group (1.43) compared to the IPL group (1.93) and the sham group (3.52).
• MGQ and MGEx: Meibomian gland quality and expression were notably improved in the IPL + DQS therapy group, reflecting enhanced functionality of these glands responsible for lipid secretion in the tear film.
• OSDI: Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, which measure the impact of dry eye symptoms on daily life, showed substantial improvement in the IPL + DQS therapy group compared to the other groups.

Reference
Chen J, Qin G, Li L, et al. The Combined Impact of Intense Pulsed Light Combined and 3% Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution on Evaporative Dry Eye: A Randomized Control Study. Ophthalmol Ther. 2023;doi: 10.1007/s40123-023-00784-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37589932.