Outcome of intense-pulsed light therapy versus combination of intense-pulsed light and low-level light therapy for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction

The objective of this study was to study the efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy and a combination of intense pulse light therapy and low-level light therapy (LLLT) in treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). In this prospective and hospital-based interventional study, 32 patients were enrolled between April 2023 and January 2024 in the Department of Cornea, Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya, Guwahati. The clinical evaluation was done included the ocular surface disease index (OSDI-6) questionnaire score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer test I, slit-lamp examination for lid evaluation to see signs of pitting, telangiectasia, meibomian gland expressibility, meibography (to see gland dropout assessment), and meibomian gland loss percentage (MGL%). The enrolled participants were randomly allocated to receive IPL and combination light therapy (IPL+LLLT) in a 1:1 ratio. Sixty-two eyes of 31 patients were included in this study. In the IPL group, the level of dryness (LOD) improved in nine (56.25%) cases and remained the same in seven cases (73.75%). In the IPL+ LLLT group, the LOD improved in eight cases (53.3%) and remained the same in six (40%) cases. For the right eye (OD), the MGL% was 0.46 ± 0.08 at baseline, which decreased to 0.32 ± 0.07 at six months. For the left eye (OS), MGL% was 0.52 ± 0.09 at baseline, and at six months, it reduced to 0.34 ± 0.08. In OD, MGL% was 0.46 ± 0.06 at baseline, reduced to 0.35 ± 0.12 at six months. In OS, MGL% was 0.49 ± 0.09 at baseline, and at six months, it reduced to 0.35 ± 0.12. In the IPL group, the mean TBUT in OD improved from 3.25 to 5.25 in 1 month. The mean TBUT for OS improved from 4.19 to 6.44 in OS. In the IPL+LLLT group, the mean TBUT in OD improved from 3.2 to 5.2 at one month in OS. The mean TBUT in OS improved from 4.27 to 6 in one month. IPL alone or in combination with LLLT has similar efficacy in treating MGD. There was a reduction in the OSDI score LOD with improved TBUT and decreased MGL% at the end of 1, and six months.