To review the indications and efficacy of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) application in the treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Its main purpose is to describe its physiology, efficacy, indications, and adverse effects. Patients and Methods: A two database (PubMed, EMBASE) search was performed from July 2017 to July 2022 using the MeSH terms ("Intense Pulsed Light" AND ("Meibomian Gland Dysfunction" OR "Dry Eye"). We included randomized studies and systematic reviews with meta-analysis. Exclusion criteria were non-randomized trials, studies enrolling non-MGD dry eye disease, and other works older than 5 years. Results: Current literature shows that IPL is an effective and safe treatment modality for severe dry eye. Available evidence shows improvement of symptoms and objective indicators, such as noninvasive breakup time, thickness of lipid layer, and Schirmer test. However, our review concluded that the beneficial effects of IPL may lose some efficacy at 6-months after the initial session, and subsequent sessions may be required. Thus, IPL treatment should not be considered as first-line therapy for MGD but instead as an adjuvant option to the standard of care. The optimal treatment modality remains unknown and should be tailored according to each patient's phenotype, clinician's experience, and available technology. There is evidence that IPL treatment may down-regulate proinflammatory markers (such as interleukin (IL) 6, IL17a, IL-1) and Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Conclusion: MGD is a multifactorial disease and IPL treatment seems a promising treatment modality. Despite this, more evidence is needed to study its benefits -since this is an emerging technology, it is expected an increase in comparative studies in the following years, with longer follow-up periods, which may enable more precise conclusions about this treatment modality.
Keratoconus (KC) is a bilateral ectatic corneal disease which results in changes in the corneal architecture and can lead to severe visual impairment. Treatment options depend on the stage of the disease, and they aim either at improving vision or arrest progression. The Bowman layer transplantation (BLT) is a recent surgical option in patients with KC and may postpone corneal transplantation in some patients. We present a case of a 22-year-old patient with a 10-year follow-up history of progressing KC. A first attempt for an intracorneal ring segment (ICRS) implantation when he was 13 years old was unsuccessful due to a superficially implanted segment. At that time, collagen cross-linking was unavailable, and his young age raised concerns about performing a penetrating keratoplasty/lamellar keratoplasty. A BLT was performed with further ICRS implantation with relative disease stability and visual improvement. ICRS implantation in KC patients with BLT has not previously been described in literature and can be an option in selected patients.
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