Abstract:
Objective To investigate early postoperative changes in ocular surface parameters and the incidence of dry eye disease (DED) after smart pulse technology-assisted transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (SPT-TransPRK), and to analyze the associated factors.
Methods This single-center prospective cohort study included 52 patients (52 eyes) without preoperative DED who underwent SPT-TransPRK. Assessments were performed preoperatively and at 2 weeks and 1, 2, and 3 months postoperatively, including the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, first noninvasive tear film breakup time (NIBUTf), corneal fluorescein staining score based on the National Eye Institute (NEI) scale, Schirmer Ⅰ test (SIT), tear meniscus height (TMH), ocular redness index, and meiboscore. The incidence of postoperative DED and its associated factors were analyzed.
Results The incidences of DED at 2 weeks and 1, 2, and 3 months postoperatively were 57.7%, 36.5%, 9.6%, and 9.6%, respectively. Significant overall differences across follow-up time points were observed in the OSDI score, NIBUTf, and NEI score (all P < 0.05), whereas no significant overall differences were observed in SIT, TMH, or the ocular redness index (all P > 0.05). Postoperative DED incidence and changes in most ocular surface parameters did not differ significantly between groups stratified by preoperative meiboscore. A higher preoperative OSDI score was independently associated with DED at 2 weeks postoperatively (OR = 1.120, 95%CI: 1.001-1.253, P = 0.048), whereas a larger ablation zone diameter was independently associated with DED at 1 month postoperatively (OR = 1.987, 95%CI: 1.100-3.590, P = 0.023). Ablation zone diameter was positively correlated with the OSDI score at 1 month postoperatively (rs = 0.325, P = 0.019).
Conclusion DED after SPT-TransPRK occurred predominantly in the early postoperative period and gradually resolved in most patients. The preoperative OSDI score and ablation zone diameter may help identify patients at risk of early postoperative DED.