Prospective evaluation of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)

Purpose To evaluate the effect of intense pulsed light (IPL) applied to the periocular area for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in a prospective, double‐masked, placebo‐controlled, paired‐eye study. Methods Twenty‐eight participants (aged 45±16 years, 68% female) underwent IPL treatment (E>Eye, E‐Swin, France), with homogeneously sequenced light pulses delivered to one eye (treated eye, randomised, masked), while placebo treatment was performed on the partner eye (control eye) on 3 occasions following baseline (BL) evaluation; on Day 1, Day 15, and Day 45. Lipid layer grade (LLG), non‐invasive tear breakup time (NIBUT), tear evaporation rate (TER), tear meniscus height (TMH) and subjective symptom score (SPEED) were compared to BL and control values at each visit. Results LLG improved significantly from BL to Day 45 in the treated eye (p=0.0002), but not control eye (p=0.714) with an increase of 1.5 grades exhibited by 75% of treated eyes by Day 45. NIBUT also improved significantly from BL to Day 45 in the treated (p