Karl Stonecipher1*, Casey Komm1 and Richard Potvin2
1Physicians Protocol Greensboro, NC, USA
2Science in Vision, Bend, OR, USA
*Corresponding Author: Karl Stonecipher, Physicians Protocol Greensboro, NC, USA.
Received: September 20, 2020; Published: October 07, 2020
Importance: This study highlights the adjunctive value of low-level light therapy (LLLT) in the management of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
Background: To evaluate the effects of LLLT treatment on clinical measures of dry eye related to MGD in patients unresponsive to previous therapies.
Design: A retrospective chart review of patients treated at one site.
Participants: Fifty eyes of 25 treated patients who were documented treatment failures with previous pharmaceuticals and/or devices were evaluated.
Methods: LLLT treatment consisted of 3 treatments in one week, with adjunct use of a topical steroid/antibiotic combination. The post-treatment diagnostic measures had to have been made 3 to 5 weeks after the last LLLT treatment.
Main Outcome Measures: Results included changes in the graded MGD score (grading scale 0 - 4), tear breakup time (TBUT), an Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire score and lissamine green (LG) staining.
Results: Significant improvements in the mean OSDI score (p = 0.002), MGD grading (p < 0.001), TBUT (p < 0.001) and both nasal and temporal LG staining (p < 0.02) were observed after treatment. An MGD grade reduction of 1 or more was observed in 72% of eyes (36/50), and 2 or more in 32% of eyes (16/50). There were no ocular or facial adverse events or side effects related to the treatment.
Conclusion: The application of LLLT over a short series of sessions for the treatment of MGD appeared to be beneficial in the majority of patients who had failed to improve with alternative pharmaceutical and device interventions.
Keywords: LLLT; Low Level Light Therapy; Meibomian Gland Dysfunction; Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI); Dry Eye Disease (DED)
Citation: Karl Stonecipher., et al. “Low Level Light Therapy as an Adjunct Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction". Acta Scientific Ophthalmology 3.11 (2020): 13-18.
Copyright: © 2020 Karl Stonecipher., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.