Background: The purpose was to study dry eye following phacoemulsification surgery and analyze it’s relation to the associated intra‑operative risk factors.

Methods: This prospective observational study was performed after selecting 100 consecutive patients who attended the outpatient Department of Ophthalmology, SMS Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur. Prior informed consent was obtained from each subject, inclusion criteria being subjects over 45 years of age with senile cataract, without preexisting dry eye and other ocular disorders. Subjects with disorders of eyelids, past ocular surgeries, pre-existing ocular or systemic diseases, history of taking ocular or systemic medications and smoking were excluded from the study.

Results: The present study was done on 100 patients attending the outpatient Department of Ophthalmology, SMS Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur with senile cataract and each patient was scheduled for cataract surgery using phacoemulsification technique. All the tests performed preoperatively and postoperatively showed incidence of dry eye to be 10.00%. Dry eye symptoms peaked at day 7 in our study.

Conclusion: We concluded that cataract surgery can cause dry eye. However, before surgery, preoperative assessment of all patients should be done properly. Patients must be informed about the possible occurrence of dry eye symptoms postoperatively and should be managed accordingly.

Keywords: Dry Eye, Schirmer Test, Tear Film Break Up Time, OSDI.

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Dr Udit Raj Sharma

Senior Resident, Upgraded Department of Ophthalmology, SMS Medical College & Hospital, Jaipur, India