AIM: To explore the effect of glaucoma drugs joint surgical treatment on patients with tear of MUC5AC and ocular surface.

METHODS: Totally 26 cases(29 eyes)underwent glaucoma and cataract surgery who with history of glaucoma drugs admitted to our hospital in March 2010 to September 2011 were included. The content of tear MUC5AC and the ocular surface function scores of patients and healthy people at different time point were measured and analyzed. The relativity between types and taking time of medication, and ocular surface function scores before and after surgery was analyzed. The change of ocular surface function score, and the content of tear MUC5AC before and after surgery was compared.

RESULTS: Content of tear MUC5AC of glaucoma patients at each period was significantly lower than that of healthy people. There was statistically significance at preoperative 1 day, postoperative 1 month, 3 months(P=0.0168,P=0.0001,P=0.0150), and there was no statistically significance postoperative 6 months(P=0.2230). The content of tear MUC5AC of glaucoma patients decreased significantly post-operation, then gradually increased. Comparing the content of tear MUC5AC 1 month post-operation with 1 day pre-operation, 3 months and 6 months post-operation, there was statistically significance(P=0.0365,P=0.0329,P=0.0004). There was a positive correlation between preoperative ocular surface function score and the taking time and types of medication(P=0.0427,P=0.0327), and there was no correlation 6 months post-operation(P=0.1788,P=0.9916). The ocular surface function score of glaucoma patients was significantly higher, then gradually reduced, there was statistically significance between 1 month post-operation and 1 day pre-operation, 3 months and 6 months post-operation(P=0.0012,P=0.0001,P=0.0000). Ocular surface function score was significantly lower 6 months post-operation, compared with the preoperative 1 day, there was statistically significance(P=0.0049).

CONCLUSION: Glaucoma medications combined with glaucoma and cataract surgery impaired tear MUC5AC and ocular surface, such kind of damage is more obvious with the increase of taking time and types of the drug and gradually improves with the post-operative time extending.