Dry Eye Changes After Phacoemulsification After Using Oral Linoleinic Acid (Omega 3 Fatty Acids)

: The current study was designed to evaluate the effect of oral linoleinec acid (omega 3 fatty acid) on patients who complained from dryness after Phacoemulsification. It was a Cross-Sectional study conducted first of April 2020 to end of February 2021 in the ophthalmology department at Beni-Suef University Hospital, and included 107 participants that had Phacoemulsification surgery, (60.7% males and 39.3% females), their age ranged from (48) to (71) with an average age of (62.07 ±6.03) years old. All participants were subjected to full clinical and laboratory investigations and received oral linoleinic acid capsules 1000 mg for 3 months after operation. Dry-eye markers including the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) and subjective symptom questionnaire, tear-film assessment using Schirmer testing 2, and break–up time test was sequentially evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 1st day,1st week, 1st month, 2nd month and 3rd month .Written Informed consent had been taken from all studied participants prior to beginning of the study. OSDI scores decreased significantly between baseline and three months post-operatively, YBUT scores increased significantly between baseline and three months post-operatively and Schirmer test scores increased significantly between baseline and three months post-operatively. Based on our results, oral omega-3 supplements could be safely added to the postoperative protocols following phacoemulsification to reduce the incidence of postoperative dry eye syndrome.