Impact Of Intense Pulsed Light Therapy On Postoperative Dry Eye Of Patients Undergoing Femtosecond Laser Assisted Refractive Surgery: Preliminary Results

To describe the results of intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) for the prevention of dry eye in patients undergoing femtosecond assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgeries. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first clinical trial in which the IPL therapy is applied perioperatively to evaluate its potential impact on the clinical signs and symptoms of the post-surgical dry eye.

Vissum (Miranza Group), Alicante, Spain.

Double-blinded clinical trial (NCT05139511) in which patients were randomized into 2 groups: a study group (IPL and laser refractive surgery) and a control group (simulated IPL and laser refractive surgery). 3 IPL sessions were applied: 7 days before the surgery and 7 and 21 days after the surgery. The total postsurgical follow-up was 6 months. Preliminary 3-month data is presented here. Data collection included: examination at slit lamp, surface evaluation with Oculus Keratograph5M [tear meniscus height (TM), non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), ocular redness, infrared meibography (IM) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire], topographic and aberrometric evaluation, and visual analog scale (VAS) questionnaire of dry eye

30 patients have been included in the study, of which 13 were control and 17 were study subjects. Mean age is 32.2 years. No statistically significant differences were observed preoperatively. At 3 months, we observed an overall tendency for better results in the study group in all ocular surface parameters. Compared to control group, TM and IM showed significantly better scores in the treatment group at 1 and 3 months(p<0.05), as well as the VAS(p=0.002) and OSDI questionnaires(p=0.015) at 3 months. When comparing pre- and post- treatment data, there was a significant improvement in the study group at the 3^rd month in the VAS questionnaire(p=0.02), in the TM(p=0.014) and in the IM(p<0.001), outcomes not observed within the control group

Preliminary results from our double blinded clinical trial suggest that IPL therapy applied perioperatively to laser corneal refractive surgery seems effective for the prevention and improvement of postoperative dry eye and ocular surface symptoms. Further studies with a larger sample size and a longer follow-up period are necessary to establish its long-term efficacy.