Combined low level light therapy and intense pulsed light therapy for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of combined intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) and low-level light therapy (LLLT) on clinical measures of dry eye related to severe meibomian gland disease (MGD) in subjects unresponsive to previous medical management.

Patients and Methods

This was a retrospective chart review of patients treated by 4 physicians at 3 centers. All patients were documented treatment failures with traditional pharmaceutical therapy. They all had their MGD evaluated before treatment using a grading scale (0–4), tear breakup time in seconds and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. To be included, all patients had to have had a short course of adjunct pharmaceutical or device-related therapy, along with a combined IPL/LLLT treatment. As well, a second MGD evaluation with the same three measures had to have been conducted 1–3 months post treatment.

Results

A total of 460 eyes of 230 patients were identified for inclusion in the data set. Mean OSDI scores were significantly lower after treatment; 70.4% of patients had pretreatment OSDI scores indicative of dry eye; this dropped to 29.1% of patients after treatment. A 1-step or greater reduction in MGD grading was observed in 70% of eyes, with 28% of eyes having a 2-step or greater reduction. Tear breakup time was ≤6 seconds in 86.7% of eyes pretreatment, dropping to 33.9% of eyes after treatment. There were no ocular or facial adverse events or side effects related to the combined light treatment.

Conclusion

The use of combined IPL/LLLT for the treatment of severe MGD appears to be beneficial in patients who have failed topical and/or systemic therapy.

Keywords:

• LLLT
• low level light therapy
• IPL
• intense pulsed light
• meibomian gland dysfunction
• ocular surface disease index

Acknowledgments

Physicians Protocol (KS) provided funding to Science in Vision to assist with data analysis and preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure

Dr Karl Stonecipher is a consultant to Espansione Marketing S.p.A., Alcon, Allergan, and Bausch Health. He reports grants and personal fees from Allergan, Alcon, Espansione, and Bausch, during the conduct of the study. He also received grants and personal fees from Allergan, Alcon, Bausch, and Espansione, outside the submitted work. Dr Rick Potvin reports personal fees from Physicians Protocol, during the conduct of the study. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.