Abstract:AIM:To observe the difference of dry eye after small incision extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens(IOL)implantation between patients with age-related cataract and patients with both diabetes and cataract.
METHODS:Seventy-five patients(78 eyes)who received small incision extracapsular cataract extraction in our hospital from January to December 2011 were divided into two groups: 35 patients(38 eyes)with age-related cataract in group A and 40 patients(40 eyes)with both diabetes and cataract in group B. The subjective complains of dry eye, tear break-up time, corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer I test and the height of tear meniscus were measured preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively respectively.
RESULTS:There was no significant difference between the two groups preoperatively(P>0.05). Compared with data before operation, the group A's subjective complains of dry eye increased and the mean tear break-up time reduced greatly at 1 day, 1 week postoperatively(P<0.05). They returned to their preoperative levels at 1 month and 3 month postoperatively(P>0.05). Compared with data before operation, the group B's subjective complains of dry eye increased and the mean tear break-up time reduced greatly at 1 day, 1 week and 1 month postoperatively(P<0.05). They returned to their preoperative levels at 3 month postoperatively(P>0.05). In the different time points after operation, the degree of subjective complains of dry eye were significantly more severe in group B than in group A, and the corneal fluorescein staining scores were significantly higher in group B than in group A(P<0.05).
CONCLUSION:The tear film stability of patients with both diabetes and cataract reduced in early stage after small incision extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular implantation. Compared with patients with age-related cataract, patients with both diabetes and cataract recovered much more slowly. The subjective complains of dry eye were more obvious in patients with both diabetes and cataract, but they would disappear with the passage of time.