Outcome measures (tear break-up time,meibography, self-assessed symptoms and close up photos of the lid margins) will be measured at baseline. All subjects will receive 4 treatments at 2 weeks intervals. In each treatment session, a subject allocated to the study group will be treated with intense pulsed light (IPL) administered in the malar region, from tragus to tragus including the nose, 2-3 mm below the lower eyelids. Immediately following the IPL administration, the subject will undergo meibomian gland expression (MGX) in both eyelids of both eyes. Subjects in the control arm will receive exactly the same treatment, except that the IPL administration will be sham. A single follow-up will occur at 10 weeks after the baseline (or 4 weeks after the 4th treatment session). At the follow-up, the changes in the outcome measures will be evaluated, and compared between the two arms.~For each subject, the duration of the study will be 10 weeks: 1st treatment at baseline; 2nd treatment at 2 weeks after baseline; 3rd treatment at 4 weeks after baseline; 4th treatment at 6 weeks after baseline; and a single follow-up at 10 weeks after baseline).~Statistically significant differences between the two arms will support the study hypothesis that IPL treatment itself provides relief to both signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.
The aim of the current study is to examine the contribution of intense pulsed light (IPL) for relieving signs and symptoms of dry eye due to meibomian gland dysfunction. The effect of IPL will be examined in a study designed as a randomized controlled trial. In the study arm, subjects will undergo 4 treatment sessions, consisting of IPL pulses immediately followed by meibomian gland expression (MGX). In the control arm, subjects will undergo the same treatments, except that the IPL pulses will be disabled. For each subject, the duration of the study will be 10 weeks, as explained in the detailed description.