Search

Purpose: This study aims to detect and compare the severity and pattern of dry eye occurrence after phacoemulsification and extra capsular cataract extraction surgeries. Methods: Twenty eyes of twenty patients in two groups, ten eyes planned for Phacoemulsification(phaco) and ten eyes planned for Extra Capsular Cataract Extraction (ECCE) enrolled in a prospective comparative study. All patients underwent full history taking and full ophthalmological clinical evaluation including (tear film meniscus height, Schirmer 1 test, tear break up time). Evaluations will be done one week before cataract surgery then three and six weeks after the surgery.Also, goblet cell count is measured twice, before and 6 weeks after the operation. Results: After both Phaco, andECCE, the changes between means of pre-operative, 3 weeks and 6 weeks visits were significant in tear film meniscus height (p ¼ 0.01) and were insignificant in both Schirmer 1 and tear break up time (p > 0.05). There was a significant deterioration after 3 weeks of surgery in tear film meniscus height followed by significant increase between 3rd and 6th weeks post-operative measurements (p ¼ 0.01). There was a significant difference between the 2 groups in the total change of Schirmer 1 and tear break up time between the6th weeks and the pre-operative measure with more deterioration in group 2. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in tear film meniscus height 6 weeks post operation.The deterioration in goblet cell count was significantly worse in the ECCE group (mean difference of -22.168.5 and was -7.565.1 in the phaco group), (p ¼ 0.0005). Conclusions: Phacoemulsification surgery may aggravate the signs and symptoms of dry eye and affect dry eye test values in patients in short-term but less than ECCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]