Intense pulsed light treatment improved tear film quality and reduced ocular surface inflammation in dry eye patients.

To evaluate the tear levels of Lymphotoxin-alpha (LT-α) and the clinical efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment in patients with dry eye disease (DED). This randomized study included 28 participants with DED who received 3 IPL therapies at Week 0 (Baseline), Week 3(3W), and Week 6(6W) (N = 30 eyes), or 2 IPL therapies at Baseline, 3W and a sham IPL therapy at 6W (N = 26 eyes). All participants were examined at Baseline, 3W, 6W, Week 9(9W), and Week 12(12W) for non-invasive break-up time (NITBUT), LT-α, meibomian gland quality (MGQ), tear meniscus height (TMH), conjunctivocorneal staining score (CFS), meibomian gland expression (MGEx), tear-film lipid layer (TFLL), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI). Baseline measures exhibited no significant differences between the groups (all p > 0.05). At 6W, NITBUT, MGEx, CFS, and OSDI were significantly improved compared with the Baseline (p < 0.05). At 12W, a comparison between the 3 IPL therapy group and 2 IPL therapy group found significant improvements in the NITBUT (p = 0.002), TMH (p = 0.011), TFLL (p = 0.009), MGEx (p = 0.011), MGQ (p = 0.021), LT-α (p = 0.034), while the CFS (p = 0.104), OSDI (p = 0.189) had no significant improvements. IPL treatment can improve the clinical symptoms and signs of DED. The potential long-term benefit of 3 IPL treatments is better than 2 treatments.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, TRN: NCT0626923, Registration date: 21 February 2024.