Posters

The effect of cataract surgery on ocular surface homeostasis and it’s relationship with post surgical visual function

Poster Details

First Author: P.Baptista PORTUGAL

Co Author(s):    J. Marques   D. Almeida   P. Sousa   D. José   I. Barbosa        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect of cataract surgery in tear film homeostasis and to assess the impact on early post-surgical visual function

Setting:

Centro Hospitalar e Universitário do Porto, Portugal

Methods:

We included 82 eyes from 41 patients, with indication for small-incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation, due to decreased visual acuity and with minimal ocular and systemic functional capacity to perform the tests. Demographic data was collected. Pre and postoperative visual acuities were assessed. The Schirmer test and osmolarity measurement (TearLab, Scope Ophthalmics ®) were performed before and after surgery. The tear film stability (Break Up Time, BUT) and the light scattering (Objective Scatter Índex, OSI; Modular Transfer Function, MTF) were analyzed with HD Analyser (Visiometrics ®) before and after surgery

Results:

Mean age was 72,1±8 years. Postoperative mean evaluation time was 3,1±0,5 months. The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA, Snellen) (0,47±0,2 VS 0,86±0,1; p=0,000), OSI (6,8±9 VS 1,7±2; p= 0,011) and MTF (13,0±9 VS 28,4±13; p=0,007) improved significantly after surgery. The surgery did not significantly change the tear film homeostasis (post-BUT 7,6±5; p=0,27)(post-osmolarity 319±9; p=0,156)(post-Schirmer 14,1±9,8; p= 1,0). We found strong correlation between pre and postoperative Schirmer (0,57; p=0,021). The age was negatively correlated with post-BUT (-0,275; p=0,049) and post-Schirmer values (-0,470; p=0,031). Post-BUT was correlated with post-OSI (-0,53; p=0,000), post-BCVA (0,36: p=0,011), post-MTF (0,433; p=0,001) and post-osmolarity (0,494; p=0,027)

Conclusions:

Tear film alterations are prevalent among patients who underwent cataract surgery and have gained more importance in recent years due to the development of technologies capable of measuring it. Our study shows the maintenance of the tear film homeostasis after small-incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery and highlights the age and preoperative Schirmer test values as the major prognostic factors

Financial Disclosure:

None