AIM: To compare short-term effectiveness of E-eye IPL combined with meibomian gland expression to simple meibomian gland expression in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD).

METHODS: Totally 40 patients with MGD(80 eyes)visiting the Department of Ophthalmology of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from October 2019 to January 2020 were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. Both eyes in the experimental group received IPL combined with meibomian gland expression, while those in the control group received meibomian gland expression only once every 2wk for 3 times. During the whole treatment, patients in the two groups received 0.3% sodium hyaluronate 4 times a day. Metrics were collected before each treatment and 2wk after the last treatment to evaluate the short-term efficacy of IPL combined with meibomian gland expression.

RESULTS: OSDI and SPEED scores of the two groups decreased with statistical significance(P<0.05), but there was no statistical significance between the two groups(P>0.05). MGE and LLT of both groups increased. The increase in the control group was slower than that in the experimental group. MGE of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group after the second and third treatment, with statistical significance(P<0.05). BUT of both groups increased. Corneal staining in both groups decreased, and it decreased more in the experimental group than in the control group, with no statistical significance between the two groups(P>0.05). The visual quality in the two groups improved, but in improving visual quality the experimental group was much better than the control group(P>0.05). There was no significant change in tear secretion, incomplete blink ratio and meibomian gland loss rate in the two groups(P>0.05). There were no skin and visual impairment, intraocular pressure change, anterior segment inflammation and other complications in all subjects.

CONCLUSION:IPL combined with meibomian gland expression and meibomian gland expression alone are both safe and effective. IPL, which has good, rapid effects and cumulative effects, works better after reaching a certain number of treatments.