Patients having cataract surgeryand lens implants might need help for dry eye after their surgery. This is
because the incidence of mild to moderate dry eye in a cataract aged population
prior to cataract surgery-and exacerbated by cataract surgery makes temporary
dry eye a rather common complaint among this age group.
According to the Prospective
Health Assessment of Cataract Patients Ocular Surface (PHACO)
Study some 60-75% of a cataract aged population had a meaningful deficiency in
their tear film testing. Further, although cataract surgery is quite friendly
to the cornea, it does require an incision which has the potential to
temporarily interrupt corneal nerves responsible for reflex tearing and tear
film integrity as well. This along with some of the solutions used during the
cataract procedure can indeed result in a dry eye. The symptoms one might experience could include fluctuations of vision,
dryness, grittiness, tearing, burning and a general tiredness as well as an
overall sandy feeling.
The good news is that for the
vast majority of patients with dry eye there are potentially helpful treatment
options that include specialized artificial tear lubricants and solutions, tiny
punctal plugs to help you retain tears and prescription medication that
stimulates production of your own tears. In addition there are more
technological approaches such as lasers and other methods to treating
underlying blepharitis, eyelid gland problems or eyelid inflammation that can
contribute to dry eye as well.
If you or someone you know has questions about dry eye help
after cataract surgery, please feel free to call Center
for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com
or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.
Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North
Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 for patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
