The Change of Ocular Surface after Cataract Surgery

ABSTRACT

The authors evaluated whether cataract surgery developed ocular surface changes or not. Fifty three cataract patients were divided into 2 groups according to the method of subconjunctival injection at the end of the operation. In the first group, betamethason was injected in the lower nasal quadrant and gentamicin was injected in the lower temporal quadrant. In the second group, both betamethason and gentamicin were injected together in the lower nasal quadrant. The tear film break-up time and Schirmer test results were reduced significantly after cataract surgery in both groups. Goblet cell numbers were reduced significantly on the 12 o'clock, lower temporal quadrant and lower nasal quadrant conjunctiva, and especially that of the lower quadrant, in which gentamicin was injected, was reduced more. Instilled drug before and after the operation, electric cauterization, conjunctival incision, and subconjunctival injection of drugs, such as gentamicin and betamethason, may induce the precorneal tear film instability.