A South African study on intense regulated pulsed light (IRPL) treatment for dry eye disease

Session Details

Session Title: Quality of Vision and Dry Eye

Session Date/Time: Sunday 08/10/2017 | 08:00-09:30

Paper Time: 08:24

Venue: Room 3.4

First Author: : J.Kruger SOUTH AFRICA

Co Author(s): :                        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

A clinical study to evaluate a new method, Intense Regulated Pulsed Light (IRPL) therapy, in the treatment of dry eye disease caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Setting:

Single centre, private ophthalmology clinic; The Tygervalley Eye & Laser Centre in Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa.

Methods:

Equipment: Tearlab tear osmolarity test and E-Eye machine by E-Swin. Patient criteria: Aged between 18 and 80 years, TBUT les than 10 sec, Diagnosis of MGD grade 1 or greater. Patients meeting the above criteria completed a dry eye symptom questionnaire before they underwent IRPL treatment. The treatment protocol consisted of 3 sessions; Day 0, Day 15 and Day 45. One month after the 3rd treatment session the tear osmolarity was tested again, the signs of dry eye disease evaluated, and the dry eye symptom questionnaire repeated.

Results:

Most patients reported improvement in their dry eye symptoms within hours of the first treatment session. A cumulative effect was reported after each session. Tear film quality was improved, TBUT was longer, the morphology of the palpebral margin was improved, and the meibomian gland opening obstruction was also improved.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated that IRPL treatment is safe and effective in the treatment of dry eye disease caused by MGD.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE