Objective: To evaluate tear film stability and tear secretion in patients with diabetes after phacoemulsification. Methods: Twenty-five diabetic cataract patients and 20 age-matched non-diabetic cataract patients as control underwent pha- coemulsification. Tear film break-up time (TFBUT), Schirmer I test (SIT), corneal fluorescein staining, and dry eye symptoms were measured pre- and postoperatively. Results: Diabetics had a decreased preoperative TFBUT and SIT. TFBUT was reduced on Day 1 and recovered on Day 180 postoperatively in both groups. SIT was increased after phacoemulsification, but returned to preoperative levels by Day 180 in non-diabetics, whereas it was lower than preoperative level in diabetics. Positive corneal fluo- rescein staining was elevated in both groups, and returned to preoperative levels only in controls. Dry eye symptoms were similar to fluorescein staining in both groups. Conclusion: Tear secretion was reduced in diabetic cataract patients after phacoe- mulsification, which worsened dry eye symptoms and predisposed those patients to ocular damage.
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