Comparison of post-LASIK dry eye symptoms in myopia of different severities

Objective To observe the prevalence of dry eye symptoms in patients with different degrees of myopia after laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK).Methods One hundred fifty myopia patients(300 eyes) who received LASIK in our hospital were recruited in this study.Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of myopia: low myopia(50 cases),moderate myopia(50 cases),and high myopia(50 cases).Dry eye symptom questionnaires,as well as BUT and Schirmer tear secretion test were conducted at 1 week,1,3,and 6 months after the surgery.Results The incidence of dry eye was significantly higher in high myopia than in low or moderate myopia at 6 months after LASIK(P0.05);the incidence was not significantly difference between low and moderate myopia.Similarly,BUT was significantly shorter in high myopia than in low or moderate myopia at 1 month after LASIK(P0.05),and there was no difference between low myopia and moderate myopia.In all groups,BUT was significantly shorter at 1 week and 1 month after LASIK when compared to preoperative measurements(P0.05).The SIT results were significantly worse in high myopia than in low or moderate myopia at 3 months after LASIK(P0.05),and no difference was found between low and moderate myopia.In low and moderate myopia,postoperative SIT at 1 week and 1 month were different from those preoperative measurements(P0.05).In high myopia,this worsening was extended to 3 postoperative months and recovered at 6 months.Conclusion The occurrence of dry eye after LASIK surgery in patients with different severity of myopia is quite different.Dry eye symptoms in higher degree myopia is more serious and last longer.But the symptoms will eventually vanish at about 6 months for all patients.