Incidence of dry eye in a patient undergoing phacoemulsification cataract surgery

Introduction:

Dry eye disease is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface characterized by deficient tear production and/or excessive tear evaporation and the burden of Dry eye disease (DED) leads to discomfort in the eyes, fatigue, and blurred vision, which can negatively impact quality of life including physical, social, and emotional well-being, as well as daily

activities and work performance. Contributing factors include aging, female sex, autoimmune conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, and wearing contact lenses. Certain medications, such as anticholinergics, antidepressants, oral contraceptives, and preservative-containing eye drops, are also known to induce dry eye symptoms. Pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen may worsen dry eye, as they are secreted into the tears, potentially increasing tear evaporation and disrupting tear film stability. Both systemic and topical ocular medications, as well as the preservatives in these drugs, can contribute to dry eye. These effects can result from the drug’s primary action, direct impacts on the additives or the ocular surface, and they could have a compounding effect. Phacoemulsification cataract surgery is a surgical technique to remove the nuclear portion of a cataracts lens using an aspirating and vibrating ultrasonic hand piece . It is the most fruitful and effective procedure, a widely used cataract surgery technique. There are certain complication and side effects such as endophthalmitis, conjunctival scarring, dysphotopsia and Dry eye disease (DED). Dry eye disease is one of the most common side effects . This can result from reduced corneal sensitivity due to surgical incisions, the use of antibiotic steroid  drops or ointments after surgery, postoperative inflammation, or exposure to bright surgical microscope light. Older age, gender, systemic diseases, certain drugs, mental health issues, meibomian gland dysfunction, preservatives in eye drops, surgical techniques, and patient lifestyle all risk factors for developing DED following phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Phacoemulsification cataract surgery is a risk factor for the induction and exacerbation of dry eye symptoms in up to one third of patients