Johnson & Johnson Vision has announced the publication of two studies in the journal, Clinical Ophthalmology, that demonstrates the patient and clinical benefits of LipiFlow® treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), the leading cause of dry eye disease. LipiFlow® restores meibomian gland function and relieves dry eye symptoms by gently applying heat and pressure to the eyelid to remove gland obstructions, while protecting delicate structures of the patient’s eye.
The first study is titled, “A single vectored thermal pulsation treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction increases mean comfortable contact lens wearing time by approximately 4 hours per day.” For this study, 55 soft contact lens wearers with MGD and evaporative dry eye were randomized to the single LipiFlow® treatment group or an untreated control.
The results showed that the LipiFlow® treatment significantly improved mean meibomian gland function and significantly reduced mean dry eye signs and symptoms from baseline to three months for soft contact lens wearers with MGD, compared to control. LipiFlow® treatment also increased comfortable contact lens wearing time by approximately four hours per day, on average. Consistent with previous clinical studies, no serious adverse events were found for LipiFlow®-treated eyes. The study was sponsored by TearScience, part of Johnson & Johnson Vision.
The second study is titled, “Comparison of a single-dose vectored thermal pulsation procedure with a 3-month course of daily oral doxycycline for moderate-to-severe meibomian gland dysfunction.” Here, 28 subjects with moderate-to-severe MGD were randomized to receive either daily treatments of doxycycline or a 12-minute LipiFlow® procedure.
Findings showed that one 12-minute treatment with LipiFlow® was demonstrated to be significantly more effective than three months of doxycycline taken orally, daily, at improving dry eye symptoms associated with MGD, based on the average change in reported dry eye symptoms from baseline. Doxycycline is indicated for the treatment of bacterial infections, including ophthalmic, and has been studied for use in MGD treatment. No adverse events related to LipiFlow® were reported. This investigator-initiated study was funded with a grant from TearScience, part of Johnson & Johnson Vision.
“Having a healthy ocular surface is the foundation for visual comfort, and an important factor for success in a variety of eye health treatments, including wearing contact lenses,” explained investigator Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO. “A key to ocular surface homeostasis is the healthy meibomian gland, as it secretes an oil that prevents evaporation of the eye's tear film. When the meibomian gland is blocked, the result is often dry eye disease. With millions of patients in need, we wanted to better understand the current treatment options available for patients with contact lens discomfort.”
See the full press release from Johnson and Johnson Vision.
Source: Johnson and Johnson Vision