Cataract surgerycan change the tear film in the eye, frequently leading todry eyesymptoms.
Sometimes these symptoms are temporary.
Other times, they become chronic.
ljubaphoto / Getty Images
ljubaphoto / Getty Images
Why Do I Have Dry Eyes After Cataract Surgery?
There are several reasons why you may have dry eyes after cataract surgery.
An approach called small-incision cataract surgery, or SICS, is used more often in developing countries.
A 2019 study compared dry eye after cataract surgery in 100 eyes having SICS or phacoemulsification.
Researchers found more dry eye and more severe dry eye symptoms in the patients who had SICS vs. phacoemulsification.
You also may need to continue any treatments for dry eye that you used before surgery.
Your eye doctor may make certain changes during the cataract surgery to lower your chance of experiencing dry eye.
These symptoms include:
You also can have dry eye without symptoms.
Let your eye doctor know if you are experiencing the symptoms of dry eye.
Sometimes it takes trial and error to find the right treatments for you.
Sometimes the dry eye will be temporary; other times, you may have the symptoms longer-term.
Symptoms of dry eye include vision changes and eye irritation.
Your eye doctor can diagnose dry eye and recommend several treatments to try and soothe your symptoms.
If you find yourself experiencing dry eye after cataract surgery, you should let your eye doctor know.
Maintain any follow-up appointments so your eye doctor can monitor your dry eye and your eye health in general.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes.
Unless you have severe dry eye, it’s possible for you to have cataract surgery.
Yes, for some people.
However, it is also possible that the worsening of dry eye is only temporary as your eyes heal.
Lubricating eye drops, also called artificial tears, provide moisture to the eyes and can feel good.
make a run at use preservative-free lubricating eye drops.
It could take anywhere from one to three months.
Your vision should start to become clearer within hours or a couple of days after cataract surgery.
Ishrat S, Nema N, Chandravanshi SCL.Incidence and pattern of dry eye after cataract surgery.Saudi J Ophthalmol.
2020;30(5):840855. doi:10.1177/1120672120929958
Boyd K.What is dry eye?
Symptoms, causes, and treatment.
American Academy of Ophthalmologists.
National Eye Institute.Testing for dry eye.
Jones L, Downie LE, Korb D, et al.TFOS DEWS II Management and Therapy Report.Ocul Surf.
2017;15(3):575-628. doi:10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.006
