Posters

Dry eye metrics after refractive lens exchange surgery (RLE)

Poster Details

First Author: A.Recchioni UK

Co Author(s):    A. Hartwig   J. Dermott   S. Vaswani   J. Wolffsohn   C. O'Donnell        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Intraocular lens surgery can increase Dry Eye (DE) symptoms perhaps due to corneal incisions, inflammation and other factors. The use of newer technologies to assess DE metrics may be useful in monitoring refractive lens exchange (RLE) patients pre- and post-operatively. The purpose of this study was to assess a range of contemporary DE metrics before and 1 month after surgery.

Setting:

Optegra Eye Hospitals, UK

Methods:

9 eyes of 9 patients underwent RLE surgery at a private eye hospital in the UK. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, Dry Eye Questionnaire 5-items (DEQ-5), tear osmolarity, tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive Keratograph tear break-up time (NIKTBUT) and corneal-conjunctival staining using the Oxford Staining Grid were evaluated pre- and post-operatively.

Results:

The study population consisted of 5 males and 4 females: mean age 66 ± 8 years, ranging from 49 to 74 years. The 1-month results showed a reduction of DE scores with both questionnaires (p>0.05). Tear osmolarity increased after surgery (299 ± 16 vs. 318 ± 41 mOsm/L) (p>0.05) while TMH values were largely unchanged (0.35 ± 0.16 vs 0.34 ± 0.14 mm) (p>0.05). NIKTBUT slightly reduced from pre-operative levels: 10.16 ± 4.78 vs 7.86 ± 3.91 s (p>0.05). Oxford grading staining scores were significantly increased after surgery (0.7± 0.7 vs 1.4 ± 0.5 score) (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

Preliminary data demonstrated an impact of intraocular lens surgery on a range of ocular surface metrics. However, further investigations and longer post-operative follow-up are needed to understand the clinical importance of each of these dry metrics after lens surgery.

Financial Disclosure:

None