Study: IPL... again...

Yup, it’s the third IPL paper I’ve come across tonight in going through just two weeks of study alerts.

Showed improvements to tear break-up time and OSDI symptom scores; younger patients had better results than older patients.

Intense Pulsed Light Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Skin Types III/IV. Li D et al, Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2019 Feb

Background and objective: Several cases of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), particularly the moderate to severe ones, are considered intractable by traditional therapy. Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy has emerged as a new choice for management of MGD in recent years, given that use of lasers and optical treatments is typically challenging in patients with darker skin types. Methods: IPL treatment for MGD is administered in the periorbital area with the thinnest skin in our body, which has an inherent risk of skin side effects. We evaluated the effects and safety of this therapy in Chinese patients with Fitzpatrick skin types III-IV. Forty MGD patients were randomly administered IPL treatment with two types of parameters in the left and the right eye. Results: Results revealed that both parameter settings of IPL treatment could gradually and effectively raise the tear breakup time (BUT) and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score. However, younger patients showed better improvement in BUT (F = 19.54, p < 0.01) and OSDI (F = 9.93, p < 0.01) compared with older patients. Conclusions: Overall, results showed that IPL treatment is safe and effective in MGD patients with skin types III-IV.

Study about the Effect of Pulsed Laser Light in Dry Eye Patients

 ABSTRACT: Effect of pulsed laser light in patients with dry eye syndrome.

Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
The objective of this study was to determine the clinical benefits of pulsed light therapy for the treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) due to the decrease in aqueous tear production (aqueous deficient DES) and/or excessive tear evaporation (evaporative DES) due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD).
METHODS:
A study was conducted on 72 eyes corresponding to 36 patients with DES. Out of these 72 eyes, 60 underwent refractive surgery (48 with femtosecond laser, 6 were operated with a mechanical microkeratome, and 6 with refractive photo-keratectomy[RPK], 6 treated with phacoemulsification, and 6 with no previous surgical treatment. Pulsed laser light (Intense Pulsed Light Regulated [IRPL®]) was use to stimulate the secretion of the Meibomian glands during 4 sessions, one every 15 days.
RESULTS:
Patients with aqueous deficient DES did not show any improvement. Eyes with no previous surgery and those treated with phacoemulsification and PRK had a favourable outcome. On the other hand, less conclusive results were observed in the eyes treated with excimer laser.
CONCLUSIONS:
This treatment could be very helpful to treat evaporative DES produced by MGD. On the other hand, it is not helpful for those cases related to an isolated damage in the aqueous phase, or the mucin phase.

Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol. 2017 Feb 28. pii: S0365-6691(17)30034-5. doi: 10.1016/j.oftal.2016.12.018. [Epub ahead of print]
[Article in English, Spanish]
Guilloto Caballero S1, García Madrona JL2, Colmenero Reina E2.
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