Efficacy of Intense Pulsed Light Treatment for Moderate to Severe Acute Blepharitis or Blepharoconjunctivitis: A Retrospective Case Series.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of periocular intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy in the treatment of moderate to severe acute blepharitis or blepharoconjunctivitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study performed in one institution. Eleven patients who received bilateral periocular IPL therapy using an IPL device (E>Eye, ESwin, Paris, France) were retrospectively evaluated. The following findings obtained at baseline and 10 weeks after the treatment were recorded: slit-lamp examinations; symptom scores of the Compression of the Eyelid (COTE) grading system and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI); ocular surface staining with Oxford grading scale (OXFORD) scores; lipid layer thickness (LLT); and non-invasive tear meniscus test (TMH), non-invasive break up time measurement (NIBUT), and meibography performed by using I.C.P. Ocular Surface Analyzer (SBM System, Turin, Italy).

RESULTS

Significant improvements in OSDI symptom scores (p<0.0001), LLT (p<0.0001), and meibography (p<0.0001) were obtained at 10 weeks after bilateral periocular IPL therapy. COTE and ocular surface staining scores decreased by 59.72% and 57.14% respectively, while NIBUT and TMH increased by 47.34% and 22.16%, respectively. In parallel to the improvement in OSDI, LLT, and meibography, findings of acute blepharitis or blepharoconjunctivitis improved in slit-lamp examination. There were no adverse effects.

CONCLUSION

Serial IPL therapy improves the clinical signs and symptoms of moderate to severe acute blepharitis or blepharoconjunctivitis, meibomian gland morphology, and secretion quality.