The Significance of Dry Eye Signs on Preoperative Keratometry Measurements in Patients Scheduled for Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Christian Nilsen,1 Morten Gundersen,1 Per Graae Jensen,1 Kjell Gunnar Gundersen,1 Richard Potvin,2 Øygunn A Utheim,3– 5 Bjørn Gjerdrum1 1Ifocus Eye Clinic, Haugesund, Norway; 2Science in Vision, Frisco, TX, USA; 3Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; 4Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; 5The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, Oslo, NorwayCorrespondence: Christian Nilsen, Ifocus Eye Clinic, Strandgaten 203, Bergen, 5004, Norway, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: The primary objective was to investigate if subjects with dry eyes had increased variability of keratometry measurements prior to cataract surgery compared to subjects with non-dry eyes. Secondary objectives were to determine which separate signs affected keratometry.Patients and Methods: This study was part of a prospective interventional randomized controlled trial. After dry eye diagnostics were performed (signs only) subjects were divided into sign of dry eye (SDE) positive and negative groups. To investigate variability, we performed two keratometry measurements for each subject with three different optical biometers: Anterion (OCT optical biometer), Eyestar (combined OCT and reflection-based optical biometer), and Lenstar (reflection based-optical biometer).Results: One hundred and thirty-one subjects were available for analysis. The variability of astigmatism was significantly higher for subjects with hyperosmolarity compared to normal eyes for the Lenstar, as was the percentage of eyes with variability of astigmatism greater than 0.25 D. The percentage of eyes with variability of average K greater than 0.25 D was higher for subjects with non-invasive keratograph break-up time < 10 seconds (NIKBUT positive) compared to normal eyes for the Lenstar.Conclusion: Combined diagnostic criteria (signs only) showed no statistically significant differences for keratometry measurements between SDE positive and negative. Eyes with hyperosmolarity and NIKBUT positive showed statistically higher variability of keratometry measurements compared to normal eyes for Lenstar, but not for the Anterion or Eyestar biometers.Keywords: cataract surgery, sign of dry eye, non-invasive keratography tear break-up time, ocular surface staining, osmolarity

Keywords

• cataract surgery
• sign of dry eye
• non-invasive keratography tear break-up time
• ocular surface staining
• osmolarity.