Pellevé™ vs Lipiflow™ MGD-Related Dry Eye Treatment Study: The ThermaLid™ Procedure A Pilot Study Comparing the Efficacy of the Pellevé System to LipiFlow for the Treatment of Dry Eye due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

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Edward Hall Jaccoma
Craig Litherland
Andrew Jaccoma
Aseef Ahmed

Abstract

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of the Pellevé Wrinkle Treatment System as compared to LipiFlow, for treatment of dry eye syndrome due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).


Materials and Methods: In this split face, randomized study, ten patients who met specific criteria for inclusion were followed after treatment with the Pellevé Wrinkle Reduction System (what the authors have dubbed the "thermaLid Procedure") and a standard LipiFlow procedure performed the same day, with 1 and 3 months follow-up. Pre- and post- treatment MGD was assessed using a variety of subjective and objective measurements.  


Results: The function of the meibomian glands improved significantly from baseline to 3 months for both thermaLid and Lipiflow treated eyes, with no significant difference between them, as measured by MGE grading, wax plug scoring, Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scoring. A significant change in conjunctival staining was found after both treatments at the 1-month time point but not the 3-month time point. thermaLid but not Lipiflow treatment, significantly decreased MARX line measurements at 3-months. Lipiview, Non-Invasive Tear Breakup Time (NITBUT), corneal surface staining, Tear Osmolarity, and anesthetic Schirmer's testing did not show statistically significant improvement, nor differences between treatment modalities.


Conclusions: thermaLid treatment of the eyelids appears to show efficacy similar to Lipiflow treatment in reducing symptoms, reducing wax plugging and improving the number of functioning MGs as well as reducing conjunctival staining in MGD related dry eye disease.

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