Cataract surgery in patients with dry eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the potential causes of postoperative complications and the visual outcome after surgery for age-related cataract in dry eyes.


METHODS
Tertiary-care multidisciplinary referral medical institution.


METHODS
The records of 15 patients (21 eyes) with age-related cataract, a Schirmer value of 5.0 mm or less in 5 minutes, and a tear-film breakup time of 5 seconds or less having complications after cataract surgery were reviewed. Patients were assigned to 1 of 2 groups: dry eye with probable secondary Sjögren's syndrome (Group 1); dry eye without connective tissue disorders (Group 2). The surgical procedure, preoperative and postoperative medications, postoperative complications, and final visual outcome were analyzed.


RESULTS
Ten eyes (8 patients) in Group 1 and 11 (7 patients) in Group 2 had cataract surgery. In Group 1, postoperative endophthalmitis developed in 3 eyes and peripheral keratolysis in 4; 5 eyes attained a visual acuity between 6/60 and 6/18 2 years after surgery. In Group 2, filamentary keratitis developed in 6 eyes and peripheral keratolysis in 2 eyes; 6 eyes achieved a visual acuity of 6/12 or better 2 year after surgery. A significant decrease in visual acuity occurred between 3 months and 2 years postoperatively in both Group 1 (P = .010) and Group 2 (P = .0005).


CONCLUSIONS
Cataract surgery in dry eyes had fewer complications and better visual outcome in patients who did not have connective tissue disease than in those who did.
Department of Ophthalmology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
J
J
Ram
A
A
Sharma
S S
SS
Pandav
A
A
Gupta
P
P
Bambery
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D014792:Visual Acuity