Contribution of systemic factors on macular vessel density: a sex-specific population-based study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of systemic factors on macular vessel density in quantitative Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) by sex. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 2018 adults were recruited in this study. Participants were excluded (n=964) due to missing data, eye-related problems, or low OCTA scan quality. Macular vessel densities were measured with OCTA using split-spectrum amplitude decorrelation angiography algorithm. Only the data from the right eyes were selected for analysis. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to determine the associations between macular vessel density and obesity-related systemic factors in each gender group. RESULTS: The right eyes of 1054 participants (59.6% women) were enrolled. Men had significantly higher obesity parameters and associated risk factors. In multivariable linear regression analysis in men, older age and type 2 diabetes mellitus were independently associated with lower superficial retinal vessel density (ß = -0.37, p = 0.002; ß = -1.22, p = 0.03) and deep retinal vessel density, respectively (ß = -0.66, p < 0.001; ß = -1.76, p = 0.02); positive association was also observed between body mass index (BMI) and superficial retinal vessel density (ß = 0.56, p = 0.02). In women, only higher systolic blood pressure was independently associated with a lower deep retinal vessel density (ß = -0.50, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: This large cross-sectional study shows that older age and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with lower superficial and deep retinal capillary vessel density in men. This may help clinicians better understand how systemic factors influence retinal vessel density in different genders and future studies can ascertain more potential sex differences.

Alkaloids from Fritillaria przewalskii Bulbs and Their Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Activities.

Three undescribed isosteroidal alkaloids, przewalskines A-C (1-3), as well as seven known alkaloids (4-10) were obtained from Fritillaria przewalskii bulbs. Their structures were deduced by extensive HRESIMS, 1D NMR, and 2D NMR analyses, and their bioactivities were evaluated involving the anti-inflammatory and inhibitory potencies on AChE, BChE, and Aß aggregation. Compound 4 revealed the potent effect on inhibiting Aß aggregation activity with IC50 value of 33.1 µM, AChE activity with IC50 value of 6.9 µM, and also showed NO release inhibitory acitivity with IC50 value of 32.6 µM. These findings contribute new multi-.target anti-AD agents and embody the chemical diversity of F. przewalskii.

The Role of MMP-9 in Regulating Degradation of the Splenic Microvascular Basement Membrane Induced by High Altitude Hypoxia / Rol de la MMP-9 en la Regulación de la Degradación de la Membrana Basal Microvascular Esplénica Inducida por Hipoxia de Altura

SUMMARY: To investigate changes of MMP-9 in the rat spleen and hypoxia-induced microvascular basement membrane under high altitude hypoxia. Thirty male specific pathogen-free Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control and hypoxia groups, with 15 rats in each group. The rats in the control group were placed in Dingxi City, Gansu Province (2080 m above sea level) for 30 days. Rats in the hypoxia group were raised in a hypoxic environment in Maduo County, Qinghai Province (4300 m above sea level), for 30 days to establish a hypoxic rat model. Routine blood tests, MMP-9 mRNA, MMP-9 protein, and the spleen microvascular basement membrane were detected. (1) Compared with the control group, the red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels of the rats in the hypoxia group were all increased; thus, a hypoxia model was successfully established. (2) Compared with the control group, the expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein was significantly higher in the spleen of rats in the hypoxic group, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). (3) Compared with the control group, the blood vessel basement membrane in the spleen of the hypoxia group was degraded. Under natural low air pressure and high altitude conditions, the expression of MMP-9 in rat spleen tissue increases and participates in the degradation of the microvascular basement membrane.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue investigar los cambios de la MMP-9 en el bazo de la rata y la membrana basal microvascular inducida bajo hipoxia a gran altura. Treinta ratas macho Sprague Dawley, libres de patógenos específicos, se dividieron aleatoriamente en dos grupos de 15 ratas cada uno, un grupo control y un grupo hipoxia. Durante 30 días las ratas del grupo control estuvieron en la ciudad de Dingxi, provincia de Gansu (2080 m sobre el nivel del mar). Las ratas del grupo de hipoxia se criaron en un entorno hipóxico en el condado de Maduo, provincia de Qinghai (4300 m sobre el nivel del mar), durante 30 días para establecer un modelo de rata hipóxica. Se realizaron análisis de sangre de rutina, ARNm de MMP-9, proteína MMP-9 y de la membrana basal microvascular del bazo. En comparación con el grupo control, el recuento de glóbulos rojos, la hemoglobina y los niveles de hematocrito de las ratas del grupo de hipoxia aumentaron; por lo tanto, se estableció con éxito un modelo de hipoxia. En comparación con el grupo control, la expresión de ARNm y proteína de MMP-9 fue significativamente mayor en el bazo de las ratas del grupo hipóxico, siendo la diferencia estadísticamente significativa (P <0,05). En comparación con el grupo control, la membrana basal de los vasos sanguíneos estaba degradada en el bazo del grupo hipoxia. En condiciones naturales de baja presión atmosférica y gran altitud, la expresión de MMP-9 en el tejido del bazo de la rata aumenta y participa en la degradación de la membrana basal microvascular.

Randomized Control Trial of the Impact of Patient Decision Aid Developed for Chinese Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Patient decision aid (PDA) is a tool to prompt shared decision-making. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a PDA on Chinese primary open-angle glaucoma patients. METHODS: All subjects were randomized into control and PDA group. The questionnaires, including 1) glaucoma knowledge; 2) 8-item Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-8); 3) 10-item glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy scale (GMASES-10); and 4) 16-item decision conflict scale (DCS), were evaluated at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Totally, 156 subjects participated in this study, including 77 in the control group and 79 in the PDA group. Compared to the control group, PDA group showed around 1 point more improvement in disease knowledge at both 3 and 6 months (both p < 0.05), 2.5 (95% CI: [1.0, 4.1]) and 1.9 (95% CI: [0.2, 3.7]) points more improvement in GMASES-10 at 3 and 6 months, respectively, and reduction in DCS by 8.8 (95% CI: [4.6, 12.9]) points more at 3 months and 13.5 (95% CI: [8.9, 18.0]) points more at 6 months. No difference was detected in MMAS-8. CONCLUSION: PDA led to improvement in disease knowledge and self-confidence in medication adherence and reduced decision conflict compared to control group for at least 6 months.

[Impacts of Emission and Meteorological Conditions on Air Pollutants at Various Sites Around the COVID-19 Lockdown in Wuhan].

The random forest algorithm was used to separate the mass concentrations of six air pollutants (SO2, NO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5, and O3) contributed by emissions and meteorological conditions. Their variations for five types of sites including Wuhan's central urban, suburb, industrial, the third ring road traffic, and urban background sites were investigated. The results showed that the values of PM2.5/CO, PM10/CO, and NO2/CO during the lockdown period decreased by 10.8-21.7, 9.34-24.7, and 14.4-22.1 times compared with the period before the lockdown, indicating that the contributions of emissions to PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were reduced. O3/CO increased by 50.1-61.5 times, implying that the secondary formation increased obviously. The contributions of emissions to various types of pollutants all increased after the lockdown. During the lockdown period, affected by the operation of some uninterrupted industrial processes, PM2.5 concentrations in industrial areas dropped the least (20.5%). Compared with the lockdown period, residential activities, transportation, and industrial production were basically restored after the lockdown, resulting in the alleviation of the reduction in PM2.5 emission-related concentrations. The increase in emission-related O3 concentrations could be associated with the decreased NO and PM2.5 concentrations during the lockdown period. The elevated O3 partially offset the improved air quality brought by the reduced NO2and PM2.5 concentrations. After the lockdown, ρ(O3) related with meteorology at the suburban and urban background sites increased by 16.2 µg·m-3 and 16.1 µg·m-3, respectively, which could be attributed to the increased ambient temperature and decreased relative humidity. The decrease in PM2.5 and increase in O3 concentrations caused by reduced traffic and industrial emissions at the third ring road traffic and central urban regions can provide reference for the current coordinated and precise control of PM2.5 and O3 in subregions.

Isosteroidal alkaloids of Fritillaria taipaiensis and their implication to Alzheimer's disease: Isolation, structural elucidation and biological activity.

Four undescribed and five known isosteroidal alkaloids were isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria taipaiensis and their structures were elucidated on the basis of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data analyses. The undescribed compounds were designated taipainines A-D. Of these, taipainine D presented a unique structure having the D/E trans (H-13α/H-17ß) and E/F cis (ß-axial lone pair of the N atom/H-22ß) ring junctions. Possible biosynthetic pathway to taipainine D is proposed. Four compounds showed significant BChE inhibitory activities similar or better than the positive control galantamine. In addition, the preliminary structure-activity relationships (SARs) of these isosteroidal alkaloids were also investigated.

Prospective Comparative Study Investigating Agreement between Tele-Ophthalmology and Face-to-face Consultations in Patients Presenting with Chronic Visual Loss.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of store-and-forward tele-ophthalmology consultations for non-diabetic patients, aged 40 and above, presenting with vision impairment of 3 months or more, in terms of cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: This is a prospective comparative study. Enrolled subjects were independently assessed by both tele-ophthalmology and face-to-face assessment. Agreement level between the two modalities for diagnosis and severity were compared using kappa statistic. Diagnostic accuracy of tele-ophthalmology was determined using the face-to-face consultation serving as the gold standard. Costs were compared by calculating the downstream costs generated by each modality in terms of investigations and treatment. RESULTS: A total of 860 eyes of 430 patients were assessed during the study period. Tele-ophthalmology consultations had significantly high agreement with face-to-face consultations in the diagnosis and grading of all three ocular conditions; cataracts, glaucoma, and AMD. Diagnosis and grading of cataracts and AMD reached [Formula: see text] values of > 0.8, while diagnosis and grading of glaucoma reached [Formula: see text] values between 0.61 and 0.8. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, tele-ophthalmology consultations were highly sensitive and specific for AMD with greater than 99% sensitivity and specificity achieved by tele-ophthalmology. There was high specificity when diagnosing cataracts, but lower sensitivity at 87.8%. Conversely, there was high sensitivity for diagnosing glaucoma, but lower specificity at 76.5%. Downstream costs were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Store-and-forward tele-ophthalmology consultations are accurate and comparable to face-to-face consultations for diagnosis and grading of cataracts, glaucoma, and AMD.

Optic disc and peripapillary vessel density measured with optical coherence tomography angiography and its associations in Chinese adults: a large population-based study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the optic disc and peripapillary vessel density, as well as its ocular and systemic associations, in healthy eyes among adult Chinese population. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional eye survey was conducted on Chinese adults residing in Hong Kong. 1891 eyes from 1891 participants who completed 4.5×4.5 mm optical coherence tomography angiography scans were recruited. Among the 1891 eyes, 404 were excluded due to low scan quality, optic disc or retinal disorders and non-Chinese ethnicity. The vessel densities (VDs) at nerve fibre layer plexus (NFLP) at both optic disc and peripapillary were collected for analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the ocular and systemic associations of NFLP VD. RESULTS: The study included 1487 participants (men: 41.2%) with a mean age of 48.8±15.4 years. The mean NFLP VD of the whole en face image, inside disc and peripapillary region was 53.8%, 42.7% and 60.3%, respectively. In the multivariable model, decreased NFLP VDs were significantly associated with older age, male gender, longer axial length (AL) and lower Signal Strength Index. CONCLUSIONS: This large population-based cross-sectional study provided quantitative data of optic disc and peripapillary NFLP VD which may serve as a normative reference for clinical use. Apart from age, gender and AL, the scan signal strength also should be taken into consideration during the assessment of NFLP VD.

Effects of high-pressure processing on the functional properties of pork batters containing Artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum.

Here, the effect of high-pressure conditions (0.1-400 MPa) on the water-loss, texture, gel strength, color, dynamic rheological property, and water migration of pork batters containing 0.1% (W/W) Artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum (PB-AG) is studied. Results indicated that the cooking yield, water-holding capacity, texture, gel strength, L* values, and G' values increased with the increase in pressure (0.1-300 MPa) (p < 0.05). Dynamic rheological results (G') revealed that the thermal gelling ability of the PB-AG gel gradually increased with pressure (0.1-300 MPa). The minimum of T22 content was observed and the proportion of immobilized water decreased at 300 MPa by low-filed nuclear magnetic resonance. However, excessive high-pressure processing treatments (400 MPa) resulted in lower gel strength, WHC, texture, and G'. The scanning electron microscopy results shown that a denser network structure with small cavities was observed at 300 MPa. Therefore, moderate pressure treatment (≤300 MPa) may improve gelation properties of PB-AG gel, while excessive pressure treatment (400 MPa) may weaken the gelation properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: High-pressure processing combining Artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum could enhance the gelation properties of pork batters. To do so, establishing knowledge on gelation properties of pork batters with Artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum at different pressure levels treatment would be of paramount importance, because this contributes furnishing engineering data pertinent to the technical progress for the processing of emulsion-type meat with high quality.

The effects of sodium chloride on proteins aggregation, conformation and gel properties of pork myofibrillar protein Running Head: Relationship aggregation, conformation and gel properties.

The objective of this study was to evaluate relationship with aggregation, secondary structures and gel properties of pork myofibrillar protein with different sodium chloride (1%, 2% and 3%). When the sodium chloride increased from 1 to 3%, the active sulfhydryl, surface hydrophobicity, hardness and cooking yield of myofibrillar protein were increased significantly (p < 0.05), the particle size, total sulfhydryl and Zeta potential were decreased significantly (p < 0.05), these meant the aggregations of pork myofibrillar protein were decreased. The changes of proteins aggregation induced the strongest intensity band of Amide I shifted up from 1660 cm-1 to 1661 cm-1, meanwhile, the ß-sheet structure content was increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the sodium chloride increased. From the above, the lower proteins aggregation and higher ß-sheet structure content could improve the water holding capacity and texture of pork myofibrillar protein gel.

Association between functional status and ocular surface disease among local elderly population in Hong Kong.

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between ocular surface disease (OSD) and functional status among elderly population over 60 years old in Hong Kong.Methods: Chinese subjects above 60 years old were recruited from the Ophthalmology clinic in Hong Kong West Cluster. Subjects demographic and questionnaires to evaluate the functional status were used to correlate with OSD objectively with clinical examination to assess the meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), corneal staining, Schirmer's test and tear break-up time (TBUT); and subjectively with ocular surface disease index (OSDI).Results: Twenty-eight patients were recruited, with a mean age of 71.5 ± 6.8 years. There was good correlation between the findings of the two eyes for bilateral measurements. Corneal staining was present in 75% of the subjects, while 92.9% of them had positive MGD grading. TBUT was reduced in 85.7% of the subjects. There is a negative association between MGD grading and Barthel index (r = -0.55, p< .01), indicating worse activities of daily living is related to worse MGD. OSDI is negatively associated with Schirmer's test (r = -0.49, p< .01). A negative correlation is also found between TBUT value and corneal staining (r = -0.58, p< .01).Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of OSD among our subjects. Lower Barthel index (indicating worse Lawton's instrumental activities of daily living) is associated with worse MGD grading. In elderly with poor functional status, care should be taken to manage their OSD.

Antifouling and antibacterial behavior of membranes containing quaternary ammonium and zwitterionic polymers.

To overcome the organic-/bio- fouling of the membrane, a dual-functional ultrafiltration membrane containing quaternary ammonium and zwitterionic polymers via quaternization and surface radical polymerization was designed, and its antifouling and antibacterial behavior was studied. In this work, poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate-co-dimethylamino-2-ethyl methacrylate) (PVDF/P(MMA-co-DMAEMA)) blend membrane was quaternized by p-chloromethyl styrene (p-CMS), and the double bonds were introduced onto the membrane surface, which further participated in the polymerization of zwitterionic monomers on the membrane surface. The results indicated that the resultant membrane exhibited obviously improved hydrophilicity and weak positive charge (isoelectric point, 7.49). The membrane presented higher flux recovery ratio and lower protein adhesion compared with the pure PVDF membrane. Meanwhile, the membrane showed high-efficiency broad-spectrum antibacterial performance, that is, the bacteria killing efficiency of S. aureus and E. coli reached 98.2% and 97.0%, respectively. Moreover, the membrane effectively inhibited bacterial adhesion, which is important for the long-term antibacterial properties of membrane. This antifouling and antibacterial PVDF membrane may have potential in the long-term filtration process, especially when dealing with microbiologically contaminated water.

Randomized Control Trial on the Effectiveness of Collagen Cross-linking on Bullous Keratopathy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term effect and safety of collagen cross-linking (CXL) on patients with bullous keratopathy (BK) in a randomized control manner. It is, to our knowledge, the first randomized control study on the effect of CXL on BK. METHODS: Subjects were randomized to receive CXL as in the standard protocol for treating keratoconus or a placebo treatment. Subjects were assessed at baseline and up to 12 months after treatment. Primary outcomes were central corneal thickness (CCT) and pain scores. RESULTS: Forty-two patients with BK participated in the study treatment, 26 subjects were randomized to the CXL group and 16 subjects to the control group. The reduction of CCT in the CXL group was 37.6 and 63.8 µm at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in the control group. However, there was no statistical difference in CCT reduction between the 2 groups at 12 weeks and after. There were no consistent advantages in pain score, corneal clarity, and visual acuity over the controls throughout the 1-year follow-up. However, CXL was associated with more recurrent epithelial defect (12%), and 2 of the 3 subjects with epithelial defect required amniotic membrane transplant. CONCLUSIONS: CXL reduced corneal thickness in the patients with BK, at least for the initial period. However, there were no improvement in pain, corneal clarity, and vision that were of more clinical relevance to the patients. Its short-term benefit was unlikely to outweigh its potential risk of recurrent epithelial defect.

[New Advane of Reaserch on Relationship between Long Noncoding RNA and Acute Myeloid Leukemia--Review].

Acute myeloid leukemia（AML）is a myelopoietic stem/progenitor malignant disease. The exact etiology of this leukemia remains unclear, thus it is important to explore the pathogenesis of AML and to discover the new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. The long non coding RNA (lnc RNA) is a class of RNA molecules with transcripts over 200 nucleotides in eukaryotic cells which almost don't possess the ability to code proteins, but can regulate the expression of other genes at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, thereby participate in occurrence and development of varied tumors. Of late years, along with the deepening of study, the lncRNA roles played in the AML have been reported and confirmed. In this review, the relationships between the IncRNA (UCA1, ANRIL, H19, HOTAIR, CCAT1, ZFAS1, LINC00152, HOXA-A52, NEAT1, TUG1, IRAIN1, PANDAR, LINC00899, SNHG5, and KCNQ1OT1) and AML is summarized briefly, so as to provide the potential basis for the clinical diagnosis and therapy of AML.

Prevalence and associations of myopia in Hong Kong primary school students.

PURPOSE: To examine the prevalence of myopia in primary school children in Hong Kong, and the risk factors for myopia development. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: Subjective refraction and axial length were measured in all participants. Structured questionnaire was completed by the parents to assess risk factors of myopia. RESULTS: A total of 1396 children (491 boys) from Grade 1 to Grade 6 from 4 primary schools in Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong participated. All participants underwent non-cycloplegic refraction. The overall prevalence of myopia (spherical equivalent, SE ≤ -0.5 diopter [D]) was 37.7%, which significantly increased with age, from 13.3% at grade 1 to 54.7% at grade 6. The prevalence of moderate myopia (-3.0D < SE < -6.0D) increased from 1.6% at grade 1 to 18.2% at grade 6 and the prevalence of high myopia (SE < = -6.0 D and/or AL ≥ 26.5 mm) increased from 0.94% (7/747) in grade 1-3 students to 1.85% (12/649) in grade 4-6 students. Among the students with myopia, only 23.6% of the parents knew their children had refractive errors and only 19.8% of the children wore glasses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed myopia development was significantly associated with older age (OR = 1.36, P = 0.008), better academic ranking in class in the preceding semester (OR = 1.01, P = 0.02) and absence of routine eye check (OR = 2.70, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of myopia in primary school students in Hong Kong is high. There is a low level of awareness of refractive errors among parents, and high proportion of under-correction, resulting in suboptimal vision.

Physicochemical Properties and Protein Denaturation of Pork Longissimus Dorsi Muscle Subjected to Six Microwave-Based Thawing Methods.

Physicochemical changes and protein denaturation were evaluated for pork longissimus dorsi muscle subjected to different thawing methods. Fresh pork longissimus dorsi muscle served as a control. Microwave (MT), microwave combined with ultrasonic (MUT), microwave combined with 35 °C water immersion (MIT), microwave combined with 4 °C refrigeration (MRT), microwave combined with air convection (MAT), and microwave combined with running water (MWT) were applied. All microwave-based methods excepted for MT avoided localized overheating. The changes in the water holding capacity (WHC), color, TBARS, and protein solubility were lowest with MAT. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic rheological property measurements indicated, that the MAT samples changed only slightly and presented with complete peaks and high G' values compared with the other treatments. Thus, MAT may reduce protein denaturation associated with meat thawing. The results of this study indicated that MAT effectively shortens thawing time, preserves meat quality and uniformity, and could benefit the meat industry and those who consume its products.

Factors Associated with Poor Eye Drop Administration Technique and the Role of Patient Education among Hong Kong Elderly Population.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the risk factors for poor eye drop application technique in treatment-naïve subjects and to assess if patient education can benefit these subjects. METHODS: Chinese subjects above 60 years were recruited. Questionnaires, including Barthel index; Lawton's instrumental activities of daily living (ADL); Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of Weight (FRAIL) scale; and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), were used to correlate with eye drop application technique (before and after patient education) using Spearman correlation analysis. A multiple linear regression was conducted to determine the predictors of successful administration technique and the improvement of technique after education. RESULTS: The data from 26 subjects (mean age 72) were analyzed. Eye drop instillation technique score improved from 5.42 at baseline to 7.33 after clear instructions. FRAIL score was an independent predictor of baseline score (p=0.003), as well as the improvement after patient education (p=0.012). Age, sex, education level, visual acuity, Barthel index, MoCA, and ADL score were not correlated with eye drop instillation technique, before nor after patient education. DISCUSSION: In patients with poor functional status as reflected by FRAIL score, eye drop application is prone to be ineffective. Education with step-by-step instructions could effectively improve the success of eye drop application.

Long-term impact of dry eye symptoms on vision-related quality of life after phacoemulsification surgery.

PURPOSE: To observe the long-term changes in dry eye symptoms and vision-related quality of life in age-related cataract patients after phacoemulsification. METHODS: A total of 101 cataract patients after phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation (Ph-IOL) in one eye were enrolled. Visual acuity, tear film breakup time (BUT), and Schirmer test 1 (ST1) were measured before and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were used to evaluate the severity of dry eye symptoms. Utility values were assessed by the time trade-off (TTO), standard gamble for death (SGD), standard gamble for blindness (SGB) and rating scale (RS). RESULTS: The average LogMAR visual acuity in the operated eye was 1.35 ± 0.50 and increased rapidly after Ph-IOL, approaching a peak at 3 months (0.26 ± 0.15). The BUT and ST1 results decreased abruptly 1 month after surgery and gradually recovered until 6 months. OSDI scores increased significantly after surgery and gradually decreased until 6 months. Utility values evaluated by TTO, SGD, SGB and RS before surgery were 0.67 ± 0.19, 0.75 ± 0.15, 0.67 ± 0.20 and 0.2 ± 0.18, respectively, and increased to 0.91 ± 0.06, 0.98 ± 0.04, 0.92 ± 0.52 and 0.91 ± 0.06, 6 months after. Utility values measured with TTO, SGB or RS correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with visual acuity and OSDI scores pre- and postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Dry eye symptoms persist more than 3 months after Ph-IOL. Utility values were negatively influenced by dry eye symptoms.