Objective To evaluate long-term changes of tear mm after phaeoemulsificafionsurgery．Methods A self controlled study was performed．Two hundred fifty—six cataract patients(256 eyes)underwent phacoemulsification in the Department of Ophthalmology，Shanghai first People’SHospital．Shanghai Jiaotoag University．wer{e randomly enrolled in this prospective study．The teal"film break up time(BUT)，Schirmer I test(Sit)，and Fluorenscein integral(FI)Were memsured l day preoperatively and patients were followed up for 3 months postoperatively．Statistical analysis includedan independent samples t test，paired t test，ehi-square test，Mann—Whitney test，multiple linearregression，Spearman correlation analysis and Pearson correlation analysis．Results Ninety-six patientsparticipated in the 3-month postoperative follow-up period．All the information on the 96 patients andthe original 256 patients was eonsistent．except for their ages．The 3-month postoperative 8cores of BUT，Sit and FI did not differ from preoperative scores．According to regression analysis，thepostoperative BUT scores correlated positively with preoperative BUT scores(r=0．38，P<O．01)，andcorrelated negatively with age r=-0．22．P=O．02)．The postoperative Schirmer I test scores correlatedpositively with preoperative Schirmer I test$4t!ores fr=0．41，P<O．01)．The postoperative FI test scoresnot only correlated positively with preoperative F1 test scores(r=O．35，P=O．01)，hut also correlatednegatively with preoperative BUT scores(r= -0．32，P<0.01)and preoperative SIT scores(r= -0．22，P<O．01)．Conclusion At 3 month after phaeoemulsification，the results of objective tear film examinationsshow a return to preoperative levels．