Arya Amala Rajagopal1, Mini Mathew2
BACKGROUND
Dry eye is an important factor affecting the quality of life especially elderly. The
major cause of adult blindness in India is cataract. After cataract surgery many
are beleaguered by dry eye symptoms. Since small incision cataract surgery
remains the most commonly performed surgical procedure for cataract in India
the ocular surface and tear film changes occurring in patients after cataract
surgery in our hospital was studied.
METHODS
A prospective observational study was conducted among 120 patients who
underwent uncomplicated cataract surgery at RIO, Thiruvananthapuram for a
period of 12 months from July 2019 - June 2020 to assess the changes that occur
in ocular surface and tear film after small incision cataract surgery. The dry eye
status was measured using Schirmer tests, tear film breakup time, tear film height,
fluorescein and lissamine green staining and finally graded using OSDI score. The
score was assessed preoperatively & postoperatively at 1 week, 4 weeks & 12
weeks.
RESULTS
Pre & postoperative OSDI score showed that 1 week after surgery only 5 %
patients remained with no dry eye changes. 4 weeks after the surgery mild dry
eye was found in 35 %, moderate dry eye in 40 % & severe dry eye in 23 %
patients. 12 weeks after surgery mild dry eye was found in 53.3 %, moderate in
33.3 % & severe in 1.7 %. The occurrence of dry eye was seen to increase 1wk
postoperatively & peak around 4weeks postoperatively.
CONCLUSIONS
Small incision cataract surgery induces significant dry eye changes in patients
whose ocular surface & tear film was normal preoperatively. The dry eye changes
were noted to worsen maximum at 4 weeks after surgery & these changes
persisted in low grade even at 12 weeks after surgery.
