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.