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Long‐term (12‐month) improvement in meibomian gland function and reduced dry eye symptoms with a single thermal pulsation treatment
Author(s) -
Greiner Jack V
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
clinical and experimental ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.3
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1442-9071
pISSN - 1442-6404
DOI - 10.1111/ceo.12033
Subject(s) - meibomian gland , medicine , ophthalmology , prospective cohort study , surgery , eyelid
Purpose To determine the 1‐year post‐treatment dry eye status of subjects with meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye symptoms after receiving a single L ipi F low T hermal P ulsation S ystem treatment. Design Single‐centre, prospective, observational, open‐label, 1‐month‐registered clinical trial with a 1‐year follow‐up examination. Participants Patients with evaporative dry eye disease with meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye symptoms who had participated in the registered 1‐month clinical trial.Methods Eighteen of 30 subjects initially enrolled were able to return for a 1‐year follow‐up. Both eyes of all patients were treated with a single 12‐min treatment using the L ipi F low T hermal P ulsation S ystem. Meibomian gland function, tear break‐up time and dry eye symptoms were measured. Data are presented for pretreatment (baseline), and 1‐month and 1‐year post‐treatment.Main Outcome Measures Meibomian gland secretion scores, and tear break‐up time and dry eye symptoms.Results Significant improvement in meibomian gland secretion scores from baseline measurements (4.0 ± 3.4) to 1‐month post‐treatment (11.3 ± 4.7; P < 0.0005) was maintained at 1‐year (7.3 ± 4.6; P < 0.05). Baseline tear break‐up time (4.9 ± 3.0) was significantly increased at 1‐month (9.5 ± 6.9; P < 0.05); however, this improvement was no longer evident at 1‐year post‐treatment (6.0 ± 4.4). The significant improvement in symptom scores on O cular S urface D isease I ndex and S tandard P atient E valuation of E ye D ryness questionnaires observed at 1‐month ( P < 0.0005) was maintained at 1‐year ( O cular S urface D isease I ndex [ P < 0.05]; S tandard P atient E valuation of E ye D ryness [ P < 0.0005]). Conclusion A single 12‐min treatment with the L ipi F low T hermal P ulsation S ystem offers an effective treatment for evaporative dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction resulting in significant and sustained improvement in signs and symptoms for up to 1 year.