Identification of tear lipid biomarkers in women with dry eye disease and the impact of intense pulsed light therapy: a case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The tear-film lipid layer (TFLL) constitutes the outermost barrier of the ocular surface, reducing evaporation and stabilising the tear film. In aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE) and Meibomian-gland dysfunction (MGD), compositional changes in the TFLL compromise this protective role. The present study was designed to characterise the tear-lipid fingerprints associated with ADDE and MGD, to compare them with those of healthy subjects, and to assess the impact of intense pulsed-light (IPL) therapy on the tear lipidome in MGD.

Methods

In a multicentre, prospective, observational-interventional case-control pilot study, 52 participants were enrolled in two phases: a discovery cohort (9 ADDE, 15 MGD, 13 controls) and an independent validation cohort (15 additional subje

SUBMITTER: Acera A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12400718 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature