Post-Operative Evaluation of Tear Film Instability After Cataract Surgery

Purpose of Study: To evaluate tear film instability after cataract surgery by measuring tear break up time. Place of Study: This study was carried out in Teaching Hospital, University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross- sectional study was conducted in Teaching Hospital, UOL. Tear break up time was measured on patients post-operatively who under -went cataract surgery. A total of 60 patients were included in study after non –probability convenient sampling technique. Both male and female patients were included in study age 45-65 years. Data was collected through self-designed questionnaire based proforma. Further results were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Tear break up time was found statistically reduced at 1 week, 2 week and after one month postoperatively(P =.0002, P<.0001). However, the tear film stability had reverted to approximately the preoperative measurement 1 month after surgery. The mean values of postoperative results were altered from preoperative measurement values. BUT outcomes had reduced considerably at 1 week postoperatively (P=.0001) but had resumed to very nearly the preoperative value 1 month after of cataract surgery. While goblet cell density (GCD) had reduced considerably at 1 week, 2 weekand 1 month postoperatively (P<.0001). Conclusion: This study concludes that tear breakup time is significantly reduced after cataract surgery due to destruction of goblet cells as shown in above tables. But tear break up time is significantly improved after one week, two weeks and one month of follow ups respectively