Dry Eye Disease (DED) Implications for Surgical Patients

Managing patients’ DED preoperatively may improve visual results and surgical outcomes.

DED and MGD in particular, can have a significant impact on the ability to achieve the refractive target after cataract surgery. DED is common but under-diagnosed and underappreciated, even though it can adversely affect surgical outcomes. It is important to maintain a high level of suspicion even in asymptomatic patients, and to never hesitate to delay surgery until the ocular surface is healthy enough to generate accurate measurements.

The prevalence of dry eye disease (DED), which can have a substantial impact on patients’ quality of life, continues to increase as the population ages. While significant on its own, DED deserves special consideration in patients who will be undergoing ocular surgery. DED has the potential to affect the accuracy of keratometry readings, affect or delay the healing process, and cause visual disturbances or a refractive surprise in the postoperative period. It is estimated that about 75% of the eye’s refractive power occurs at the tear film interface, which highlights the importance of a healthy ocular surface prior to refractive cataract surgery.

DED among cataract surgery patients is a prevalent and under diagnosed condition. By diagnosing DED preoperatively, we manage the disease before it becomes a problem, which will improve visual results, patient satisfaction and surgical outcomes.

Alice Epitropoulos, MD [email protected].

This piece was part of Ocular Surface Disease: Understanding the Need early diagnosis. A CME activity jointly provided by Dannemiller, Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, and Advanced Ocular Care in March/April 2016.