Age, gender, and gland health tied to IPL results in dry eye treatment

Certain factors are associated with poorer outcomes in patients undergoing intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy for dry eye disease (DED), according to a study.

The analysis included 63 eyes, divided into groups based on their post-treatment improvement in DED signs and symptoms.

There were significant improvements in fluorescein staining and Schirmer II test results after IPL treatment (both P < 0.05), but symptoms overall showed no significant change (P = 0.834). Risk factors associated with poor outcomes included advanced age, female sex, prior refractive surgery, lower noninvasive tear break-up time, and greater meibomian gland loss (all P < 0.05).

Women and those with prior refractive surgery were more likely to experience minimal symptom improvement, while older age, reduced pretreatment noninvasive tear break-up time, and higher rates of gland loss correlated with poor improvement in clinical signs.

Reference
Lee CY, Yang SF, Chen HC, et al. Predisposing factors for poor outcomes after intense pulsed light treatment for dry eye disease: A retrospective case-control study. Int J Med Sci. 2024;21(15):2919-2925. doi: 10.7150/ijms.101341. PMID: 39628696; PMCID: PMC11610335.