Comparative Evaluation of Dry Eye Following Cataract Surgery: A Study from North India

Abstract

Background: After cataract surgery many patients complain of foreign body sensation, irritation, redness, blurring of vision which are considered as unwanted effects of the surgery. Aim: To compare dry eye disease following SICS and Phacoemulsification . Material and methods: The present study is a prospective, randomized study conducted on sixty nine patients, from July 2009 to June 2011, attending Outpatient Department of Department of Ophthalmology in a municipal hospital of Delhi. Complete ocular surface examination was done which included questionnaire using OSDI score and slit lamp bio microscope examination, tear film break up time, corneal fluorescein staining, tear meniscus height, Schirmer test - I and Impression cytology. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Results: All the dry eye tests conducted on the eyes undergoing cataract surgery showed deterioration following surgery. Both SICS and Phaco surgery caused significant decrease in TMH, TBUT and ST-I values at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. Fluorescein staining, OSDI score and impression cytology also showed deterioration in the follow up period. Conclusion: Both SICS and Phaco surgery can cause or aggravate dry eye and affect the dry eye test values in the post operative period upto 3 months. I. Main Text Dry eye disease is an ocular surface disorder which produces discomfort and reduced vision due to tear film instability. Dry eye per se is not a disease entity, but a symptom complex occurring as sequelae to deficiency or abnormalities of tear film, exposing the corneal and conjunctival epitheli um to evaporation. Dry eye has become one of the most important factors influencing quality of Life (QOL) in elderly patients. Incidence of dry eye in the US has been estimated to be around 2.7 per year. Incidence of dry eye in India amongst eye out patient department patients has been estimated to be around 0.46%with a male: female ratio of 1:1.22 1