Which heat-based therapy has been studied in humans but is unlikely to be successful in dogs due to hair around the periocular skin?

• A. LipiFlow System
• B. Warm compresses
• C. Palpebral massage
• D. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Therapy

Answer: (D)

Intense Pulsed Light therapy relies on delivering light energy that is absorbed by pigmented structures, such as hair follicles, to generate heat in the surrounding tissues. In humans it has been studied and used around the eyelids to heat the meibomian glands and improve gland function. In dogs, the fur and hair around the periocular region would absorb and scatter much of that light, preventing reliable heating of the eyelid glands and increasing the risk of unintended ocular surface damage. This makes IPL far less likely to be effective in dogs compared with other heat-based approaches that don’t depend on light absorption by hair.