Intense pulsed light treatment may reduce need of artificial tears in dry eye disease

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) may be the leading cause of Dry Eye Disease(DED) throughout the world. A new study by Dr Yilin Song and team has reported that intense pulsed light (IPL) has the ability to improve Tear film lipid layer (TFLL) quality and clinically reduced sign and symptoms of Dry Eye Disease (DED) thereby reducing the use of artificial tears.

The study is published in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye journal.

The objective of the study was to assess TFLL alteration and function in patients with evaporative dry eye (EDE) using tear interferometry after optimal pulse light technology (OPT) intense pulsed light (IPL).

The study was prospective randomized examiner-masked sham- controlled study, which included 86 participants (142 eyes) with DED. IPL or sham procedure was performed on day 0, 21, and 42. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), non-invasive breakup time (NITBUT), interferometric fringe pattern determined TFLL quality, fluorescein staining (FS), and meibum gland (MG) were assessed at day 0, 21, 42 and 3-month.

The results of the study were found to be

• At 3-month, it was found that TFLL, NITBUT, MG drop-out, MG quality, MG expressibility, FS and OSDI improved significantly (P < 0.05) in the IPL group.

• The sham group showed no significant improvements.

• Except for Meibo-score and FS, all parameters were seen to significantly correlated with the improvement in TFLL following IPL treatment.

• Additionally, artificial tears usage was significantly less in the IPL group from D-42 onwards.

Song and team concluded that "IPL treatment demonstrated the ability to improve TFLL quality and clinically reduced sign and symptoms of DED thereby reducing the frequency of artificial tears use."

For further information: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2021.101499