• Rita Mencucci, Carlotta Boccalini, Roberto Caputo, and Eleonora Favuzza.
• From the Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. Electronic address: rita.mencucci@unifi.it.
• J Cataract Refract Surg. 2015 Aug 1; 41 (8): 1699-704.

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of using sodium hyaluronate 0.1% and carboxymethylcellulose 0.5% artificial tears for ocular discomfort and tear-film stability in eyes after cataract surgery.SettingTwenty ophthalmic centers in Italy.DesignProspective randomized case series.MethodsThis study enrolled patients scheduled for unilateral cataract surgery. After surgery, patients received artificial tears and a topical steroid-antibiotic (study group) or topical steroid-antibiotic alone (control group) and were assessed postoperatively at 1 and 5 weeks. Outcome measures were tear breakup time (TBUT), ocular surface disease index (OSDI), frequency of dry-eye symptoms evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS), and corneal fluorescein staining.ResultsThe study comprised 282 patients. At 5 weeks, the mean TBUT was statistically significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (P = .0003). The mean OSDI score statistically significantly improved in both groups from 1 to 5 weeks (P < .0001 for both groups); however, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups at these timepoints. The artificial tears statistically significantly improved VAS-assessed dry-eye symptoms in the study group compared with the control group at 5 weeks (P < .001). The mean corneal fluorescein staining was significantly reduced in the study group compared with the control group at 5 weeks (P = .002 versus P = .05, respectively). No treatment-related adverse events were reported.ConclusionSodium hyaluronate 0.1% and carboxymethylcellulose 0.5% ophthalmic solution was effective and well tolerated in reducing dry-eye disease symptoms and improving the clinical outcome after cataract surgery.Financial DisclosureNo author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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