AIM: To explore the risk factors of xerophthalmia after cataract surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to construct a risk prediction model.

METHODS: A total of 212 patients(212 eyes)with type 2 diabetes who underwent cataract surgery in our hospital from April 2019 to April 2021 were selected. The patients were divided into dry eye group(43 cases, 43 eyes)and non-xerophthalmia eye(169 cases, 169 eyes). The general data, laboratory examination index and quality of life score of the two groups were compared; multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of postoperative xerophthalmia; constructed a line chart prediction model and evaluated its prediction accuracy.

RESULTS: There were significant differences in the history of keratoconjunctival disease, pterygium, meibomian gland dysfunction, lens nucleus hardness, disease cognition, postoperative anxiety, postoperative depression, surgical incision, medication compliance, and the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and HbA1c at 1wk after operation between the two groups(P<0.05). The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative anxiety, postoperative depression, 3.0mm of surgical incision, IL-1β>31.26ng/mL, IL-6>29.42ng/mL, TNF-α>77.68ng/mL and HbA1c≥6.50% were risk factors for postoperative xerophthalmia(P<0.05). The calibration curve and standard curve of the nomogram prediction model were fit well, and the prediction probabilities were mostly distributed around 0 and 1, with high accuracy.The visual function evaluation, environmental trigger factors, ocular discomfort symptoms and ocular surface disease index(OSDI)score in the dry eye group was significantly higher than those in the non-xerophthalmia group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Surgical incision, postoperative anxiety, depression, medication compliance, serum inflammatory factors and HbA1c are all related to xerophthalmia after cataract surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes. Early identification of risk factors and timely intervention are helpful to reduce the incidence of postoperative xerophthalmia and improve the quality of life.