Multicenter Study of Intense Pulsed Light Therapy for Patients With Refractory Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

To evaluate the efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) for refractory meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in a prospective study conducted at 3 sites in Japan.

Patients with refractory obstructive MGD were enrolled and underwent 4 to 8 IPL-MGX treatment sessions at 3-week intervals. Clinical assessment included the Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness questionnaire; noninvasive breakup time of the tear film and interferometric fringe pattern as determined by tear interferometry; lid margin abnormalities, fluorescein breakup time of the tear film, corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining (CFS), and meibum grade as evaluated with a slit-lamp microscope; meibomian gland morphology (meiboscore); and tear production as measured by the Schirmer test without anesthesia.

Sixty-two eyes of 31 patients (17 women, 14 men; mean age ± SD, 47.6 ± 16.8 years) were enrolled. The Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness score (P < 0.001), noninvasive breakup time (P < 0.001), and interferometric fringe pattern (P < 0.001) were significantly improved after therapy, with 74% of eyes showing a change in the interferometric fringe pattern from 1 characteristic of lipid deficiency to the normal condition. Meibum grade, lid margin abnormality scores, fluorescein breakup time, and CFS were also significantly improved (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, respectively) after treatment, whereas the meiboscore and Schirmer test value remained unchanged.

IPL-MGX ameliorated symptoms and improved the condition of the tear film in patients with refractory MGD and is therefore a promising treatment option for this disorder.