Dry Eye Treatment with Intense Pulsed Light for Improving Visual Outcomes After Cataract Surgery with Diffractive Trifocal Intraocular Lens Implantation

Background/Objectives: Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)-related dry eye aggravates postoperative visual outcomes in cataracts. Diffractive trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) decrease contrast sensitivity (CS). Intense pulsed light (IPL) improves tear film stability and ocular surface conditions in MGD-related dry eyes. We investigated the effect of preoperative MGD-related dry eye treatment combining manual meibomian gland expression (MGX) with IPL (IPL-MGX) on visual outcomes post-cataract surgery with diffractive trifocal IOL implantation. Methods: In this single-center, prospective, and open-label study, we enrolled 67 patients (134 eyes) with MGD-related dry eye undergoing cataract surgery on both eyes. Preoperatively, IPL-MGX was performed on one eye (IPL-MGX group) but not the contralateral eye (control group). Tear break-up time, high-order aberrations, and central superficial punctate keratopathy (C-SPK) were assessed. CS and corrected distance visual acuity were analyzed. Differences between groups were analyzed at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Results: The IPL-MGX group showed greater mean tear break-up time and lower mean high-order aberration and C-SPK values after preoperative IPL treatment and postoperatively (all p < 0.01). Postoperative CS was higher in the IPL-MGX group at 1 week (all spatial frequencies) (p < 0.01 [cpd = 2.9, 4.5, 7.1, and 10.2] and p < 0.05 [cpd = 1.1 and 1.8]); 1 month [2.9–10.2 cpd] (p < 0.01); and 3 months [4.5–10.2 cpd] (p < 0.01 [cpd = 10.2] and p < 0.05 [cpd = 4.5 and 7.1]) postoperatively. Mean corrected distance visual acuity was higher in the IPL-MGX group only postoperatively (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Preoperative MGD-related dry eye treatment using IPL-MGX enhances tear film stability, ocular surface conditions, and visual outcomes, potentially improving postoperative vision quality and patient satisfaction.