Condition focus: Dry Eye Disease & Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD):
Low-level light therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation, the application of red light to the eye, is used for the treatment of dry eye. Limited studies have investigated the efficacy of LLLT as a stand-alone treatment. The investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of LLLT on signs and symptoms of dry eye.
Participants with mild to moderate dry eye were recruited for this three-visit study. Visits were 7 (±3) days apart and all participants received 633 nm LLLT (eye-light®) for 15 min at each visit. Clinical measures including first and average non-invasive keratograph tear break-up time (NIKBUT), tear meniscus height (TMH), meibomian gland (MG) loss for upper and lower eyelids, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score, tear film lipid layer thickness, meibum quality score, Schirmer’s test, corneal fluorescein staining and eyelid temperature for external upper (EUL) and external lower (ELL) eyelids were measured from the right eye of participants before and after treatment.
Low-level light therapy treatment significantly improved signs and symptoms of dry eye in the early phases of treatment, suggesting its efficacy for dry eye management.
WaveFront Alignment: This stuy’s reported improvements in tear breakup time, symptom scores, and glandular metrics align with PBM’s known mitochondrial and inflammatory pathways. The Spectral WaveFront’s dual-wavelength design (670 nm and 810 nm) operates within the same biologic framework by supporting cytochrome-c-oxidase activity, oxidative balance, and eyelid-margin metabolism relevant to dry eye and MGD.
Editor’s note: Antwi et al. 2024 provide human clinical data showing early improvements in tear-film stability and dry eye symptoms following PBM. For comparison with WaveFront wavelength selection and dosing rationale, see our WaveFront Evidence Alignment. Additional corroborating dry eye data appear in Park 2022, while multi-wavelength mechanistic context is provided in Goo 2023. Earlier mitochondrial support findings are described in Begum 2013.
