​Changes In The Tear Film After Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery – A Prospective Study

Purpose: The purpose was to study dry eye following manual small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) by analyzing the changesin tear film and diagnostic tear film tests following cataract surgery.Study Design: This is a prospective study.Material and Methods: The present study is a hospital-based study which was carried out over a period of 1 year starting fromApril 2018 to March 2019. In this study, 50 patients of age group 31–80 years, who were diagnosed with senile cataract wereobserved. All underwent uncomplicated manual SICS and followed up for the period of 3 months. All selected patients werestudied for any abnormalities in tear film before and after manual SICS. The various tear film tests done were tear meniscusheight (TMH), tear film breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer’s test 1 (ST1), and rose bengal staining (RB). The tests were done onall the patients 1 day before and 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months post-cataract surgery.Results: In the present study, majority (50%) of the study participants were aged between 61 and 70 (years) and 18%were aged between 71 and 80 (years). In the present study, 70% of the participants were males and 30% were females. Alldry eye test values were significantly worse post-cataract surgery in the 3-month follow-up period; TMH analysis showedthat 22 (44%), 38 (76%), and 31 (62%) had low TMH at post-operative 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively,which was statistically significant. The TBUT analysis showed that at post-operative 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months,18 (36%), 23 (46%), and 18 (36%) had low TBUT values. 21 (42%), 26 (52%), and 9 (18%) had low ST1 values at postoperative 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively. RB stain analysis showed at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months,post-operatively 21 (42%), 26 (52%), and 9 (18%), respectively, patients had abnormal value. Statistically significantdifference in TMH, ST1, TBUT, and RB staining between pre-operative, post-operative 1 week, 1 month, and 3 monthshas been seen.Conclusion: Manual SICS is capable of inducing dry eye, and patients should be educated about the dry eyes after cataractsurgery and be assessed for dry eyes pre-operatively