The following is a summary of “Dry eye post-cataract surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the January 2025 issue of Ophthalmology by Ta et al.
Cataract surgery, a globally prevalent surgical procedure, can be complicated by the development of dry eye, a condition that can adversely impact visual outcomes, diminish patient satisfaction, and significantly degrade QoL.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate the effect of cataract surgery on dry eye outcomes postoperatively.
They searched Ovid MEDLINE and Embase from 01/01/2010 to 16/08/2021, including observational studies of participants aged ≥18 years who underwent any cataract surgical procedure. Postoperative dry eye outcomes were compared to baseline using Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer’s I test (ST1), and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) at short-term (<1 week) and medium-term (≥1 week to 3 months) follow-up.
The results showed that 20 studies with 1,694 eyes were included after screening 11,133 records. Evidence suggested a decrease in TBUT at short-term (<1 week) and medium-term (1 week to 3 months) follow-ups. Significant heterogeneity was observed across other outcomes. At medium-term follow-up, most studies indicated deterioration in ST1 and CFS, while findings on the OSDI were conflicting. The review was limited by variability in follow-up durations, which might not capture the full clinical course.
Investigators concluded that dry eye symptoms following cataract surgery might persist for up to 3 months, necessitating further investigation into long-term dry eye outcomes and the impact on patient well-being.
Source: bmcophthalmol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12886-024-03841-8
