Current eye researchDec 21, 2020

Comparing Intense Pulsed Light Therapy With and Without Gland Expression for Treating Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated May 1, 2026

Abstract

One hundred patients were evaluated for the effectiveness of combining meibomian gland expression (MGX) with intense-pulsed light (IPL) therapy for treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

In the IPL group, scores for the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear breakup time (TBUT), and meibomian gland secretion function improved significantly during follow-up.
The IPL + MGX group showed significant improvements in OSDI, TBUT, lower eyelid margin scores, and meibomian gland secretion function at both follow-up visits.
Both groups experienced reductions in meibomian gland dropout and corneal fluorescent staining (CFS) at 1 month and 3 months.
The IPL + MGX group demonstrated a greater reduction in CFS at 1 month compared to the IPL group.
Improvements in CFS and meibomian gland secretion function were also observed in the IPL + MGX group at the 3-month mark.

Simplified

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the combination of meibomian gland expression (MGX) with intense-pulsed light (IPL) has a better efficacy to treat meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) than IPL alone.

METHODS: One hundred patients with MGD were randomly divided into three groups: MGX, IPL, and IPL+ MGX. Clinical parameters included the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear meniscus height (TMH), noninvasive keratograph tear breakup time (NIBUT), redness, meibomian gland dropout, tear breakup time (TBUT), corneal fluorescent staining (CFS), eyelid margin score, meibomian gland secretion function, and Schirmer I tests were collected before treatment and at 1 and 3 months after treatment. Compare the indexes of each group before and after treatment and also compare the differences of each group on follow-up.

RESULTS: Compared to the baseline, OSDI, TBUT, and meibomian gland secretion function in IPL group improved throughout the follow-up period (all< .05) and part of the meibomian gland secretion function increased continuously. OSDI, TBUT, lower eyelid margin scores, and meibomian gland secretion function in IPL + MGX group improved at the both follow-up visits (all< .05), and continued improvement in meibomian gland secretion function can be observed. Lower meibomian gland dropout and CFS reduced at 1 month and 3 months respectively in IPL ± MGX group (= .001,= .001).Compared to IPL group, only CFS has reduction in IPL + MGX group at 1-month (< .001), CFS, upper and lower MGYCS were improved at the 3 months (= .037,= .014,= .049). P P P P P P P P

CONCLUSIONS: MGX may have synergistic effect when combined with IPL therapy, and the effect can last at least 3 months.

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Comparing Intense Pulsed Light Therapy With and Without Gland Expression for Treating Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

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