title: Intense pulsed light treatment for dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction; a 3-year retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical benefits of intense-pulsed-light therapy for the treatment of dry-eye disease caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  MGD is the leading cause of evaporative dry eye disease. It is currently treated with a range of methods that have been shown to be only somewhat effective, leading to the need for advanced treatment options.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective noncomparative interventional case series was conducted with 91 patients presenting with severe dry eye syndrome. Treatment included intense-pulsed-light therapy and gland expression at a single outpatient clinic over a 30-month study. Pre/post tear breakup time data were available for a subset of 78 patients. For all patients, a specially developed technique for the treatment of dry eye syndrome was applied as a series of monthly treatments until there was adequate improvement in dry eye syndrome symptoms by physician judgment, or until patient discontinuation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary outcomes included change in tear breakup time, self-reported patient satisfaction, and adverse events. Physician-judged improvement in dry eye tear breakup time was found for 68 of 78 patients (87%) with seven treatment visits and four maintenance visits on average (medians), and 93% of patients reported post-treatment satisfaction with degree of dry eye syndrome symptoms. Adverse events, most typically redness or swelling, were found for 13% of patients. No serious adverse events were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although preliminary, study results of intense-pulsed-light therapy treatment for dry eye syndrome caused by meibomian gland dysfunction are promising. A multisite clinical trial with a larger sample, treatment comparison groups, and randomized controlled trials is currently underway.
authors.affiliation: 1 Toyos Clinic , Germantown, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Toyos
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McGill
authors.forename: Dustin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Briscoe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D062325:Intense Pulsed Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008537:Meibomian Glands / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome