Intense pulsed light therapy may offer long-term relief for Meibomian gland dysfunction

Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment, both alone and in combination with low-level light therapy (LLLT), shows promise in improving symptoms and ocular surface changes associated with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), according to a study.

The study involved 3 distinct treatment groups, each utilizing different IPL devices: Group 1 received IPL followed by LLLT using eye-light and my-mask, Group 2 received IPL using E>Eye, and Group 3 received IPL with Thermaeye Plus.

Participants in the study were evaluated at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 months after treatment. The evaluation included the assessment of symptoms using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and ocular surface changes, such as lipid layer thickness (LLT), basal tear flow, and corneal staining (CS).

The results of the study showed improvements in all treatment groups after 3 weeks, with a significant decrease in OSDI scores.

There were no significant differences in symptom improvement among the different treatment groups. The lipid layer thickness (LLT) increased in Groups 1 and 2, and this increase was comparable between the 2 groups. The study also found that patients with higher baseline OSDI scores and lower LLT measurements experienced the most significant improvement in these parameters.

The researchers observed that the addition of LLLT to IPL treatment (Group 1) resulted in a significant increase in basal tear flow, suggesting a positive effect on the lacrimal gland. Corneal staining showed a significant decrease in Groups 2 and 3. At the 6-month mark, Group 1 demonstrated continued improvement in OSDI and LLT, while Group 3 exhibited an increase in corneal staining.

Reference
Castro C, Marques JH, Marta A, et al. Comparison of Light-Based Devices in the Treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. Cureus. 2023;15(7):e41386. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41386. PMID: 37546127; PMCID: PMC10401307.