Methods: The study included 388 patients who underwent cataract surgery at a tertiary center. Meibomian gland dysfunction was evaluated by assessing meibomian gland loss area (%) and meiboscore grading using meibography. Non-invasive tear break-up time (NI-BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (Oxford score), and symptom scores using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) were employed to assess dry eye. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age: <70 and ?70 years. Comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, rheumatologic disease, and glaucoma) were also recorded.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.5 ± 10.4 years, with 208 (53.6%) being male. All patients had meibomian gland atrophy of ? grade 1, and 79.1% had corneal staining (Oxford ?1). Age subgroup analysis revealed that patients <70 years exhibited less meibomian gland area loss and significantly better gland function compared to those aged 70 to 90 years (p=0.011). No significant differences were observed between tear film parameters. It was observed that patients with more than two comorbidities exhibited worse meiboscore results and more severe dry eye findings.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the coexistence of meibomian gland atrophy and dry eye is common in patients undergoing cataract surgery evaluation. To prevent undesirable postoperative outcomes, it is crucial to routinely assess the eyelids and ocular surface, including meibography, preoperatively. Keywords : Meibography, cataract surgery, ocular surface disease, meibomian gland dysfunction