Vision Support & Macular Health

March 5, 2025

PBM for chalazia: a sample case summary. Stonecipher and Potvin 2019

Condition focus: Chalazia & Eyelid Inflammation

Chalazia are chronic inflammatory granulomas of the meibomian glands that often require surgical intervention when conservative treatments fail. This case report evaluated photobiomodulation therapy as a non-invasive alternative for chalazion treatment. A patient with bilateral recurrent chalazia that had previously required multiple surgical excisions was treated with a multiwavelength LED-based photobiomodulation device delivering red and near-infrared wavelengths.

Following a series of brief photobiomodulation treatments over several weeks, both chalazia resolved completely without surgical intervention. The patient remained chalazion-free at follow-up visits. The case demonstrates photobiomodulation’s potential to resolve meibomian gland obstruction and chronic inflammation through non-invasive means, offering an alternative to surgical excision particularly for patients with recurrent presentations or those seeking to avoid procedural intervention.

WaveFront Alignment:
Stonecipher’s case demonstrates photobiomodulation’s efficacy in resolving meibomian gland dysfunction and chronic eyelid inflammation, supporting the Spectral WaveFront’s application for MGD-related conditions through anti-inflammatory and gland function restoration mechanisms.

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Editor’s note: Stonecipher 2019 demonstrates PBM efficacy for chalazion resolution. For broader MGD treatment evidence, see Toyos 2015 and Solomos 2021. Heat therapy mechanisms appear in Borchman 2019. For related dry eye applications, see Goo 2023 and Park 2022.

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Key Takeaways

  • Multiwavelength LED photobiomodulation successfully resolved bilateral recurrent chalazia without surgery
  • Treatment offered non-invasive alternative for patient with history of multiple surgical excisions
  • Complete resolution maintained at follow-up visits
  • Case demonstrates PBM potential for meibomian gland obstruction and chronic eyelid inflammation

Study Overview

Study Type: Case report
Wavelength(s): Multiwavelength LED (red and near-infrared)
Treatment Protocol: Series of brief treatments over several weeks
Sample Size: 1 patient (bilateral recurrent chalazia)
Primary Outcome: Complete resolution of both chalazia without surgical intervention

Full Citation

Stonecipher K, Potvin R. (2019). Photobiomodulation for chalazia: a sample case summary. Clin Ophthalmol, 13:1109-1112. View Publication

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