Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the relationship between vitrectomy surgery and the alteration of ocular surface homeostasis.
Methods :
A total of 25 phakic patients with vitreo-retinal interface pathologies and without ocular surface diseases were enrolled. All underwent the conventional 25/23 gauge pars plana vitrectomy surgery. Evaluation were made using a VAS symptoms questionnaire (subjective parameters scored from 0 to 10) and a slit lamp (blink rate, palpebral and bulbar conjunctival irritation, BUT, meniscus, fluorescine and lissamine green staining).
Results :
One year after surgery, according to the VAS classification the ranking resulted: desire to keep the eyes closed , foreign body sensation , burning, pain , roughness and heat . Blink was incomplete and more frequent in 32 % of patients . Approximately 98% of patients revealed both palpebral and conjunctival irritation. BUT was reduced in 80% of patients. The meniscus was irregular and thinned in 88% of patients . According to the Oxford scale, fluorescein staining was positive in 60% of patients: 73% Grade I and 27% Grade II while lissamine green staining was positive in 84% of patients: 52% of grade I , 28% grade II and 20% of grade III.
Conclusions :
Vitrectomy surgery 23/25 gauge with transconjunctival approach might give ocular surface alterations and ocular discomfort.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.