Low-Level Light Therapy Improves dry eye symptoms among patients undergoing Cataract Surgery

Optimizing the ocular surface prior to cataract surgery has been highlighted in recent studies, especially for individuals who already have dry eye disease (DED). Nevertheless, a recent study published in British Journal of Ophthalmology indicates that even healthy patients having cataract surgery may benefit from low-level light therapy (LLLT) as a prophylactic measure.

Researchers have found in a new study that two sessions of low-level light therapy before and after cataract surgery were effective in ameliorating tear film stability and ocular discomfort symptoms.

LLLT or a sham therapy was randomly assigned to 153 individuals in this double-masked research. The sessions took place both before and after cataract surgery. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT), tear meniscus height, meibomian gland loss (MGL), and redness score were among the outcomes measured by the trial thirty days after surgery.

Patients who received LLLT demonstrated significantly lower OSDI scores at two different postoperative time points, indicating reduced ocular discomfort compared to the control group. Additionally, NIBUT values were higher among the LLLT-treated patients at the second assessment, suggesting improved tear film stability. Meibomian gland loss, which is often associated with DED, was also lower in the LLLT group at the first postoperative assessment.

Importantly, the benefits of LLLT were not limited to the postoperative period; patients who received this treatment continued to experience lower OSDI scores and higher NIBUT values at the final assessment compared to their preoperative scores.

This research provides a ray of hope for individuals undergoing cataract surgery. The findings suggest that preventive measures, such as LLLT, can enhance patient comfort and ocular health during and after the surgery, even for those without pre-existing dry eye disease. With cataract surgery being one of the most commonly performed procedures globally, any intervention that can improve patient outcomes and comfort is of significant clinical interest.

While further studies are needed to confirm these findings and establish the long-term effects of LLLT, this research marks a notable step forward in enhancing cataract surgery and postoperative care. It could potentially lead to a broader adoption of LLLT as a routine prophylactic measure for individuals undergoing this common and transformative surgical procedure.

Reference:

Giannaccare, G., Rossi, C., Borselli, M., Carnovale Scalzo, G., Scalia, G., Pietropaolo, R., Fratto, B., Pellegrini, M., Yu, A. C., & Scorcia, V. (2023). Outcomes of low-level light therapy before and after cataract surgery for the prophylaxis of postoperative dry eye: a prospective randomised double-masked controlled clinical trial. In British Journal of Ophthalmology (p. bjo-2023-323920). BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo-2023-323920