Short-term influence of aspirating speculum use on dry eye after cataract surgery: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term influence of the use of an aspirating speculum on dry eye after performing cataract surgery.


METHODS
This study was conducted using a prospective, consecutive, comparative, interventional case series of 58 eyes of 58 patients who underwent clear corneal cataract surgery; 29 eyes were treated using an aspirating speculum, and 29 eyes were treated without using a nonaspirating speculum. The main outcome measures were sequential changes of dry eye parameters including conjunctival staining, tear film break-up time (tBUT), conjunctivochalasis grades, and ocular surface disease index (OSDI).


RESULTS
In the nonaspirating speculum group, tBUT and conjunctivochalasis grades were aggravated on day 1 postoperatively (P < 0.001), but conjunctival staining and OSDI did not show any significant change during the follow-up. In the aspirating speculum group, significant aggravation was observed by conjunctival staining on day 1 postoperatively (P = 0.001), tBUT and conjunctivochalasis grades were evaluated on day 1 and day 7 postoperatively (P < 0.001), and the OSDI was evaluated on day 7 postoperatively (P = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of an aspirating speculum aggravated dry eye parameters during the early postoperative period. Although these parameters returned to their preoperative values at 1 month postoperatively, the use of an aspirating speculum has the potential to aggravate dry eyes after cataract surgery is performed.
Department of Ophthalmology, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Hoseok
H
Moon
Je Hwan
JH
Yoon
Sang Hun
SH
Hyun
Kyun Hyung
KH
Kim
D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology*