·AIM:To investigate the early change in tear film after vitreous microsurgery and the recovery of tear film in patients with type 2 diabetes.·METHODS:Totally 116 eyes of 116 patients,30 patients with type 2 diabetes(group A)and 86 patients without type 2 diabetes(group B)who underwent 23-gauge or 25-gauge vitreous microsurgery were enrolled in this consecutive control series between March and July in 2009.The contralateral eyes were regarded as control.Uncomfortable symptoms score,break-up time(BUT),Schirmer Ⅰ test(SⅠt)and corneal fluorescein staining(CFS)were recorded 1 day before surgery and 1 day,3,10 days,1 and 3 months after surgery in all patients.Data from all ophthalmologic examinations were collected.·RESULTS:Before surgery,30% of patients in group A complained of uncomfortable symptoms such as dry eye and eye itching.Tear secretion and BUT of group A were less than group B but no statistical difference was found between the two groups,17% patients complained of mild pain and red eye.There was no statistical difference existing in CFS score in surgery eyes at each follow-up in both groups,but a significant difference was found between surgery eyes and contralateral eyes 1d and 3d postoperafively(P=0.039).Significant difference of BUT scores of postoperafive eyes in two groups at the first day(P=0.001)was obtained;and there was significant statistical difference(P=0.007)between surgery eyes and non-surgery eyes until 3 days after surgery.No statistical difference between SⅠt and the control group before and after surgery was found,but the secretion of tear of group A was less than the group B.Uncomfortable symptoms scores,BUT,and SIT were significantly different between the surgery eyes and non-surgery eyes of group B 1 day and 3 days after surgery(P<0.05).And significant difference of CFS was found in each test(P<0.05).·CONCLUSION:The stability of tear film of type 2 diabetes patient is poorer than normal patients and is more vulnerably affected by surgery at the early period after vitreous microsurgery owing to its poor stability.And the secretion of the tear in diabetes patients is declined and the tear film recovers slowly after the surgery.·