Abstract
Purpose :
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), also known as posterior blepharitis, is a multifactorial disease characterized by the changes in glandular secretion and duct obstruction. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) at 808nm in blepharitis-induced rat model.
Methods :
The effect of LLLT on blepharitis was assessed using 6-week old male SD rats. They were randomly grouped into 4 groups: 1) Control, 2) Blepharitis, 3) Blepharitis with Laser treatment, and 4) Blepharitis with Eye drop. Blepharitis was induced by injecting 5 μl of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) into nasal and temporal margin of upper and lower eyelids. Treatments began after a week. Laser treatment group was exposed to 808nm laser with energy output of 200mW/cm2 for 3 minutes. Eye drop group was treated with 2.5 μl of 0.05% cyclosporin A twice a day. All treatments were given for 3 weeks and the rats were sacrificed on 28th day for histological analysis.
Results :
Overall symptom scores were better after laser treatment. No ocular surface damage was observed. Tear volume and tear break-up time (TBUT) were increased, and meibomian swelling, fluorescein staining, telangiectasia, meibomian gland secretion (MGS) scores got better. Immunohistochemistry on both meibomian gland and conjunctiva confirmed that the expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) increased in MGD group and decreased in the treatment groups. The cytokine level in laser treatment group was similar to the one of the eye drop group.
Conclusions :
Treatments for MGD include eye drops to reduce inflammation in the ocular surface, eyelid warming and eyelid squeezing to promote meibum secretion, and the patients are recommended to keep eyelid hygiene. Although intense pulsed light (IPL) is recently used as another treatment option for MGD, the current study results suggest the potential of LLLT at 808nm for MGD treatment as well.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.