Journal List > J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > v.52(9) > 1008875

Roh, Lee, Han, Kim, Wee, and Lee: Changes in Clinical Manifestations of Dry Eye Syndrome after Cataract Surgery and the Affecting Factors

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the changes in the clinical signs and symptoms of dry eye syndrome before and after cataract surgery according to the main incision location and the type of artificial tears.

Methods

Twenty-four eyes of 17 patients who underwent phacoemulsification and posterior chamber lens insertion from May 2009 to July 2009 were enrolled in the present study prospectively. The main incision location (temporal or superior incision) was determined according to the axis of astigmatism and the postoperative artificial tears (sodium hyaluronate with or without preservatives) were determined randomly. The tear film breakup time (TF-BUT), Schirmer test, esthesiometer, corneal surface grading with Oxford system and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire before and 1, 2 and 6 months after surgery were evaluated. The corneal nerve was also analyzed using corneal confocal microscopy (Confoscan 4, Nidek, Italy) before, and 1 and 6 months after surgery.

Results

The TF-BUT was significantly longer (p = 0.010) and the OSDI score was significantly lower (p = 0.007) in the patient group with preservative-free sodium hyaluronate than the group with sodium hyaluronate containing preservatives at 6 months after cataract surgery. There were no statistically significant differences according to the main incision location in the sodium hyaluronate without preservatives group.

Conclusions

Symptoms and several signs of dry eye syndrome triggered by cataract surgery decreased with preservative-free artificial tears compared to tears with preservatives.

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Figure 1.
The analysis of corneal subbasal nerve plexus using ImageJ software. A winding line of corneal nerve is visualized in the left original photograph and the nerve length was analyzed by “segmented line length analysis tool” in ImageJ software by tracing each nerve separately as seen in the right photograph. Arrow heads trace corneal subbasal nerve and the arrows indicates the sites of nerve branching.
jkos-52-1030f1.tif
Figure 2.
The presentative photographs of corneal subbasal nerve plexus. Each column represents subgroups: temporal incision with PSH (A), temporal incision with PFSH (B), and superior incision with PFSH (C) respectively. Each row represents the time of taken images: preoperative, postoperative 1 month, and postoperative 6 month respectively. Each column is the images in the same patient. They commonly showed a decrease of corneal nerve plexus at 1 month after cataract surgery and a restoration at 6 month after cataract surgery. PSH = preserved 0.1% sodium hyaluronate group; PFSH = preservative free 0.1% sodium hyaluronate group; preop = preoperative, POP = postoperative, mon = month.
jkos-52-1030f2.tif
Table 1.
The changes in symptoms and signs of dry eye syndrome and corneal subbasal nerve plexus analysis before and after cataract surgery (mean ± SD)
Preop Postop 1 mon Postop 2 mon Postop 6 mon
TF-BUT (sec) 6.04 ± 2.80 4.75 ± 1.54 5.46 ± 1.28 6.25 ± 2.25
Schirmer test (mm) 14.10 ± 11.06 13.75 ± 8.86 14.83 ± 8.82 11.04 ± 4.77
Esthesiometer (cm) 5.81 ± 0.46 5.06 ± 1.19* 5.00 ± 0.78* 5.21 ± 0.94*
OSDI 0.08 ± 0.12 0.11 ± 0.11* 0.13 ± 0.12* 0.14 ± 0.19*
Oxford grading of corneal surface (grade) 0.38 ± 0.58 0.29 ± 0.46 0.13 ± 0.34 0.79 ± 0.66
Nerve fiber density (number/mm2) 18.77 ± 9.36 17.20 ± 7.72 17.85 ± 8.94
Nerve fiber length (number/mm2) 9.13 ± 3.83 7.37 ± 2.95* 8.45 ± 3.06
Nerve branch density (number/mm2) 18.77 ± 16.1 15.10 ± 9.92 15.36 ± 9.02

TF-BUT = tear film breakup time; OSDI = Ocular Surface Disease Index.

The numbers with an asterisk (*) mean statistically significant differences between preoperative and postoperative values.

Table 2.
The comparison of symptoms and signs of dry eye syndrome and corneal subbasal nerve plexus analysis between the groups with or without preservatives in the artificial tears (mean ± SD)
Group Preop Postop 1 mon Postop 2 mon Postop 6 mon
TF-BUT (sec) PFSH 5.71 ± 1.89 4.29 ± 0.95 4.86 ± 0.90 7.57 ± 1.90*
PSH 7.10 ± 3.67 5.50 ± 1.78 5.30 ± 1.34 5.60 ± 2.67*
Schirmer test (mm) PFSH 15.57 ± 13.89 16.71 ± 12.23 14.57 ± 10.77 11.29 ± 7.36
PSH 13.80 ± 11.03 14.10 ± 8.53 18.60 ± 6.75 10.10 ± 1.73
Esthesiometer (cm) PFSH 5.71 ± 0.76 4.79 ± 1.15 5.07 ± 0.67 5.43 ± 0.79
PSH 5.90 ± 0.21 5.20 ± 0.63 4.75 ± 0.98 5.00 ± 1.25
OSDI PFSH 0.09 ± 0.05 0.08 ± 0.03 0.11 ± 0.04 0.09 ± 0.05*
PSH 0.12 ± 0.18 0.17 ± 0.16 0.18 ± 0.17 0.24 ± 0.26*
Oxford grading of corneal surface (grade) PFSH 0.43 ± 0.53 0.29 ± 0.49 0.00 ± 0.00 1.14 ± 0.69
PSH 0.40 ± 0.70 0.30 ± 0.48 0.10 ± 0.32 0.60 ± 0.70
Nerve fiber density (number/mm2) PFSH 15.75 ± 6.30 16.65 ± 6.49 20.25 ± 7.90
PSH 18.90 ± 5.75 17.33 ± 8.69 17.64 ± 8.69
Nerve fiber length (number/mm2) PFSH 7.22 ± 2.31 7.65 ± 3.16 8.33 ± 1.24
PSH 9.89 ± 3.76 7.61 ± 3.11 9.10 ± 3.94
Nerve branch density (number/mm2) PFSH 17.10 ± 12.58 17.10 ± 13.72 13.05 ± 7.14
PSH 21.11 ± 21.37 15.44 ± 9.68 15.75 ± 12.16

TF-BUT = tear film breakup time; OSDI = Ocular Surface Disease Index; PSH = preserved 0.1% sodium hyaluronate group; PFSH = preservative free 0.1% sodium hyaluronate group.

The numbers with an asterisk (*) mean statistically significant differences between the two groups.

Table 3.
The comparison of symptoms and signs of dry eye syndrome and corneal subbasal nerve plexus analysis between the superior incision group and the temporal incision group (mean ± SD)
Group Preop Postop 1 mon Postop 2 mon Postop 6 mon
TF-BUT (sec) Temporal 5.71 ± 1.89 4.29 ± 0.95 4.86 ± 0.90 7.57 ± 1.90
Superior 4.86 ± 1.68 4.14 ± 1.35 6.29 ± 1.25 5.86 ± 1.46
Schirmer test (mm) Temporal 15.57 ± 13.89 16.71 ± 12.23 14.57 ± 10.77 11.29 ± 7.36
Superior 13.07 ± 9.44 10.29 ± 4.19 9.71 ± 7.70 12.14 ± 5.05
Esthesiometer (cm) Temporal 5.71 ± 0.76 4.79 ± 1.15 5.07 ± 0.67 5.43 ± 0.79
Superior 5.79 ± 0.39 5.14 ± 1.84 5.29 ± 0.49 5.29 ± 0.57
OSDI Temporal 0.09 ± 0.05 0.08 ± 0.03 0.11 ± 0.04 0.09 ± 0.05
Superior 0.02 ± 0.01 0.07 ± 0.03 0.07 ± 0.06 0.05 ± 0.05
Oxford grading of corneal surface (grade) Temporal 0.43 ± 0.53 0.29 ± 0.49 0.00 ± 0.00 1.14 ± 0.69
Superior 0.29 ± 0.49 0.29 ± 0.49 0.29 ± 0.49 0.71 ± 0.49
Nerve fiber density (number/mm2) Temporal 15.75 ± 6.30 16.65 ± 6.49 20.25 ± 7.90
Superior 21.60 ± 15.05 17.55 ± 8.50 15.75 ± 10.91
Nerve fiber length (number/mm2) Temporal 7.22 ± 2.31 7.65 ± 3.16 8.33 ± 1.24
Superior 9.97 ± 4.86 6.75 ± 2.89 7.64 ± 3.08
Nerve branch density (number/mm2) Temporal 17.10 ± 12.58 17.10 ± 13.72 13.05 ± 7.14
Superior 17.10 ± 11.63 12.60 ± 6.03 17.10 ± 5.41

TF-BUT = tear film breakup time; OSDI = Ocular Surface Disease Index.

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