Abstract
Purpose:
To determine the clinical benefits of intense-pulsed-light therapy for the treatment of dry-eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction.
Methods:
A retrospective non-comparative interventional case series was conducted of 91 patients presenting with severe dry eye syndrome (eligibility tear breakup time less than 10 seconds or patient referral). Treatment included intense-pulsed-light therapy and gland expression at a single outpatient clinic over a 30-month study period beginning May 2009. Pre/post tear breakup time data were available for a subset of 78 patients. For all patients, a specially-developed technique for the treatment of dry eye syndrome was applied as a series of monthly treatments until adequate improvement in dry eye syndrome symptoms by physician-judgment or patient-discontinuation.
Results:
Primary outcomes included change in tear breakup time by Oculus Non-Invasive or by Standard Invasive using Flourescein methods, self-reported patient satisfaction, and adverse events. Physician-judged improvement in dry-eye tear breakup time were found for 68 of 78 (87%) of patients with 7 treatment visits and 4 maintenance visits on average (medians). 93% of patients reported post-treatment satisfaction with dry eye syndrome symptoms. Adverse events, most typically redness or swelling, were found for 13% of patients. No serious adverse events were found.
Conclusions:
While preliminary, study results of intense-pulsed-light therapy treatment for dry eye syndrome due to meibomian gland dysfunction are promising. A multi-site clinical trial with a larger sample, treatment comparison groups and randomized controlled trials is currently underway.
Keywords: 482 cornea: epithelium •
526 eyelid