Influence of anxiety levels and inflammatory factors on dry eye in diabetic patients after cataract surgery

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation of dry eye symptom, anxiety level and inflammatory factor in diabetic patients after phacoemulsification for cataract. Methods Ninty-six eyes of 96 diabetic patients after phacoemulsification were divided into anxiety groups and non-anxiety groups according to Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Tear film breakup time (BUT), Schirmer test(SIt), Cornea fluorescein staining(FL), inflammatory factor detection, anxiety level and dry eye subjective symptom scores were evaluated one week after operation. Results Dry eye subjective symptom, tear film indexes (BUT, Sit and FL) and inflammatory factor (IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor) in postoperative one week showed statistically significant differences between anxiety and non-anxiety group (P<0.05). The dry eye subjective symptom was positively correlated to anxiety level as well as inflammatory factor (P<0.05). Conclusion Anxiety could aggravate dry eye subjective symptom in diabetic patients after phacoemulsification by stimulating the inflammatory factor. Key words: Diabetes; cataract surgery; Dry eye; Anxiety