The effect of tea tree oil on dry eye treatment after phacoemulsification cataract surgery: A randomized clinical trial

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of eyelid scrubbing with eye shampoo containing tea tree oil on dry eye disease following phacoemulsification cataract surgery.Methods: This prospective triple-blinded randomized clinical trial was performed on 62 eyes of 62 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups—(1) treatment group: for 33 patients in the treatment group, artificial tears, topical steroid drops, and eye shampoos with tea tree oil and (2) for 29 patients in the control group, artificial tears, topical steroids, and eye shampoos without tea tree oil were used. In the first and second (after 1 month) follow-up visits, microscopic Demodexexamination, refraction, corrected distance visual acuity, the ocular surface disease index score (by the questionnaire), Schirmer test, tear break-up time test, and osmolarity of tears (by TearLab) were recorded in treatment and control groups.Results: The mean age of patients was 66.37 ± 8.83 (range: 37–82) years, of which 49 (79%) were female and 13 (21%) were male. The results showed a significant improvement in tear break-up time test, corrected distance visual acuity, osmolarity, and ocular surface disease index score in both groups (p< 0.05). However, the number of Demodexdecreases significantly only in the treatment group after treatment (p<0.001). Tear break-up time, osmolarity, and ocular surface disease index scores in the treatment group were significantly better than the control group (p< 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the pre- and post-Schirmer test results (p> 0.05).Conclusion: Eyelid scrubbing with eye shampoo containing tea tree oil is recommended for dry eye treatment after cataract surgery, especially decrease in the number of Demodex.