Posters

Evaluating outcomes of prophylactic thermal pulsation therapy on ocular surface health post-refractive surgery

Poster Details

First Author: R.Mullick INDIA

Co Author(s):    R. Shetty   P. Khamar   S. Sethu   A. Ghosh   S. D'Souza        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To study the effect of ocular surface signs, symptoms and tear fluid composition following prophylactic thermal pulsation therapy - TPT (LipiFlowTM) prior to refractive surgery.

Setting:

Department of Refractive Surgery, Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru

Methods:

Patients undergoing refractive surgery with or without mild to moderate evaporative dry eye disease or meibomian gland dysfunction were included in the study after institutional ethics committee approval, written informed consent. Group 1 – patients received TPT prior to LASIK (n=15; 30 eyes) and Group 2 – patients did not receive TPT prior to LASIK (n=15; 30 eyes). Clinical parameters (OSDI scoring,Schirmer’s test - ST 1 & 2, tear break-up time (TBUT), meibography, tear film interferometry) and tear fluid obtained at basal, 1 month and 3 months post-op.Tear soluble factor profile were measured by multiplex ELISA using a flow cytometer.

Results:

A marked improvement in post-surgical ST1, TBUT, OSDI was observed in Group1 subjects compared to Group 2 during the 3 months follow up. Further, the fold difference (3 months follow up compared to basal) in the tear inflammatory factors such as IL-8, MCP1, CXCL10, NGAL, and MMP9/TIMP1 ratio, were also observed to be lower in Group 1 rather than in Group 2.

Conclusions:

Thermal pulsation therapy (LipiFlowTM) prior to refractive surgery improved post-surgical ocular surface signs, symptoms and reduced tear inflammatory factor profile. Thus suggesting the plausibility of reduced post-operative complications, including dry eye.

Financial Disclosure:

None