Special care for Sjogren's patients

Do I need to find an eye surgeon who specializes in Sjogren's Syndrome (or very dry eyes) to do my cataract surgery?  How would I go about finding one in the Dallas TX area?  Are there any special considerations for cataract patients who have very dry eyes?  Thanks.

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

Prior to cataract surgery, you should be on Restasis eye drops for 3-4 months, as well as Omega 3 (fish oil), to try to improve your eyes' natural tear production.  After that, if your eyes are still dry, a punctal plug can be placed in the tear drainage ducts to try to increase the tear level on the eyes.  If you use artificial tears more than 4 times a day, use preservative-free artificial tears.  Stephen Pflugfelder MD is a dry eye expert in Houston (888) 562-EYES.  He should be able to recommend an expert cataract surgeon in your area.