Abstract:

Objective     To investigate changes of corneal aspherical parameters and lacrimal film parameters after cataract phacoemulsification. Methods     102 patients (146 eyes) from the Linyi People′s Hospital that underwent ultrasonic phacoemulsification were divided into the corneal incision group ( group A, 48 cases with 71 eyes ) and the scleral incision group( group B, 54 cases with 75 eyes). The symptoms of dry eye, tear breakup time(BUT), corneal fluorescein staining and corneal map were measured preoperatively and 1 day, 1week, 1month and 3months postoperatively. Results    ①BUT values 1 day,1 week and 1 month postoperatively were shorter than preoperative(P<0.05), corneal fluorescein and dry eye symptom changed significantly 1 week postoperatively, and returned to normal after 3 months. ②The corneal Q value apparently changed 1day, 1week and 1month postoperatively (P<0.05) and there was no statistical significance between groups A and B, except 1 day postoperatively. ③Pearson correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between changes of the Q value (0.132+0.139) and BUT(6.500+2.111s) 1 day postoperatively(R=0.215, P=0.001). Conclusions     In the early stage after phacoemulsification, corneal aspherical and lacrimal film parameters have some changes, and there is a correlation between them. Then all the parameters return to normal with the healing of incisions.

Key words: Phacoemulsification; Cornea; Lacrimal film; Q-value