AIM: To investigate the effect of sodium hyaluronate eye drops on ocular inflammatory response and dry eye after phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lenses(IOL)implantation for age-related cataract.

METHODS: The clinical data of age-related cataract patients treated with phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation in 200 cases(200 eyes)of our hospital from June 2016 to July 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different postoperative application of eye drops they were divided into observation group and control group(100 cases each). The observation group was given sodium hyaluronate eye drops and the control group was given tobramycin dexamethasone eye drops. The results of BUT, FL, proteins concentration in aqueous and ocular surface disease index(OSDI)score were compared before and at the first day, the seventh day and the fourteenth day after the operation. And the incidence of conjunctival hyperemia and ciliary hyperemia was compared between 1d after surgery and 14d after surgery.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference in OSDI scores between the two groups before and at 1d after surgery(P>0.05). The OSDI score of the two groups was higher than that before the operation on the first, the seventh and the fourteenth day after surgery(P<0.05). The OSDI score of the two groups decreased gradually after reaching the highest level on the first day after surgery(P<0.05). The OSDI scores of the observation group on the 7 and 14d after surgery were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the BUT between the two groups before and at 1d after surgery(P>0.05). The levels of BUT in the two groups were lower than those before operation on the first, the seventh and the fourteenth day after surgery(P<0.05). BUT levels in both groups increased gradually after reaching the lowest level on the first day(P<0.05), the levels of BUT in the observation group were higher than those in the control group on the 7 and 14d after operation(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in FL level between the two groups before and the first day after operation(P>0.05). The levels of FL in the two groups were different from those before operation(P<0.05)on the first, the seventh and the fourteenth day after operation(P<0.05). FL levels in the two groups decreased gradually after reaching the highest level on the first day after surgery(P<0.05), the levels of FL in the observation group on the 7th day and the 14th day after operation were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of conjunctival hyperemia and ciliary congestion between the two groups on the first day after operation(P>0.05); the incidence of conjunctival hyperemia and ciliary hyperemia in the two groups on the fourteenth day after surgery was lower than that on the first day after surgery(P<0.05). However, the incidence of conjunctival hyperemia and ciliary congestion on the fourteenth day after operation was significantly lower in the control group than in the observation group(P<0.05). Postoperatively 1, 7, 14d, aqueous humor protein concentration in the two groups of patients compared with preoperative had difference(P<0.05), and two groups of patients with aqueous humor at postoperatively 1d after reaching the highest protein concentration decreased(P<0.05), aqueous humor protein concentrations of the control group 7, 14d after operation were lower than the observation group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The effect of sodium hyaluronate eye drops on improving dry eye after age-related cataract phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation is greater than that of tobramycin dexamethasone eye drops, but it is less effective for eye inflammation than tobramycin dexamethasone eye drops. After comprehensive consideration, for the patients with light inflammation, small incision phacoemulsification combined with IOL implant, sodium hyaluronate eye drops is a good selection.