Tear film stability shows deterioration after cataract surgery, with symptoms potentially lasting up to three months postoperatively, according to a recent meta-analysis published in BMC Ophthalmology.

 

However, the effect of cataract surgery on other measures of dry eye is unclear, with inconsistent outcomes across studies.

 

Researchers conducted a systematic review of 20 observational studies with 1694 eyes published between 2010 and 2021 to investigate the effect of cataract surgery on symptoms of dry eye; seven studies (481 eyes) were included in the meta-analysis.

 

The selected studies included participants aged ≥ 18 years who had undergone cataract surgery; assessments of dry eye after surgery were compared with those conducted at baseline or between different surgical methods.

 

The analysis encompassed short-term (within 1 week), medium-term (one week to three months), and long-term (> three months) follow-up periods.

 

The primary outcome measures included symptoms of dry eye assessed through the Ocular Surface Disease Index and the five-item Dry Eye Questionnaire; secondary outcomes included tear film stability measured using Tear Break Up Time, aqueous production using the Schirmer’s I test, and ocular surface dye staining using Corneal Fluorescein Staining.

 

Tear film stability demonstrated significant deterioration (mean difference, −4.09; 95% CI, −7.73 to −0.46; three studies) at short-term follow-up and a very modest decrease (mean difference, −2.01; 95% CI, −2.96 to −1.05; seven studies) at medium-term follow-up after cataract surgery.

 

The effect of cataract surgery on symptoms of dry eye, aqueous production and ocular surface staining could not be determined due to a considerable degree of inconsistency between studies.

 

The study was led by Hillary Ta and Paul McCann at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado.