Changes of Visual Symptoms and Functions in Patients with and without Dry Eye after Lacrimal Passage Obstruction Treatment

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To determine the quality of life (QOL) and quality of vision (QOV) of patients who developed and did not develop dry eye disease (DED) after nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) treatment.

Methods: This was a retrospective nonrandomized observational study of 91 patients diagnosed with unilateral NLDO. The subjects underwent lacrimal stent insertion, and the stent was removed after 10–12 weeks. The QOL and QOV of the patients were examined preoperatively and at 6 months after the stent was removed. The postoperative outcomes were assessed subjectively with the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) questionnaire and an ocular specific questionnaire of 6 symptoms. The best-corrected visual acuity, functional visual acuity, and dry eye scores were also determined.

Results: Of the 91 eyes, 19 eyes (20.9%) were diagnosed with DED (D group) and 72 were not (N group). Five of the 6 symptoms improved in the N group, while only 3 symptoms improved in the D group without blurred vision. For the GBI questionnaire, the social support and physical health scores were significantly higher in the N group than in the D group. The functional visual acuity improved significantly in the N group but not significantly in the D group.

Conclusions: Patients who develop DED after treatments for NLDO may not have an improvement of their QOL or QOV. Therefore, careful dry eye assessments are important before treatments for NLDO.

KEYWORDS:

• Lacrimal passage obstruction
• bicanalicular intubation
• quality of vision
• quality of life
• dry eye

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the contribution of their language editor, Professor Emeritus Duco Hamasaki, of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, for discussions and English language editing.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.