AIM: To observe the influence in ocular surface of patients with cataract and diabetes after cataract phacoemulsification.

METHODS: A total of 74 patients with cataract and diabetes(100 eyes)who underwent phacoemulsification of senile cataract combined with intraocular lens(IOL)implantation were selected in our hospital from Apr.2014 to Dec.2014, and they were divided into the group A and group B according to with/without a history of diabetes. A total of 34 patients(50 eyes)with a history of diabetes more than 3y were assigned to group A, and 40 patients(50 eyes)without history of diabetes were assigned to group B. The dry eye-related symptom score, corneal fluorescein(FL)score, tear film break-up time(BUT), Schirmer Ⅰ test(SⅠt)and corneal endothelial cells were examined and compared in pre-therapy and post-treatment, respectively.

RESULTS: Before operation, there was no significant difference on the dry eye-related symptom score, FL score, BUT, SⅠt and corneal endothelial cells between the two groups(P>0.05). After operation, the dry eye-related symptom score in group A and B were both greatly higher than that before operation(P<0.05). The FL score and SⅠt in group A after operation were both higher but BUT was lower than that before operation(P<0.05). In group B, the FL score and SⅠt were both higher on first day, 1 week, and 2 weeks after operation than that before operation, However, the BUT was lower on 1d and 1wk after operation than that before operation(P<0.05). All the observation indexes were restored in 1mo after operation. After operation, endothelial cell area in the two groups were both larger than that before operation, and the significant difference were found from 2wk after operation in group A but only 1wk after operation in group B(P<0.05). The number of corneal endothelial cells in group A and B after operation were both less than that before operation(P<0.05). All the observation targets between group A and B had a significant difference in 1mo after operation(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The cataract phacoemulsification has a significant influence in ocular surface of patients with cataract and diabetes than that without diabetes.