ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of preoperative dry eye therapy on ocular surface indices, meibomian gland function, and the incidence rate of postoperative symptomatic dry eye in patients with cataract and concomitant asymptomatic dry eye after cataract surgery. MethodsEighty patients (80 eyes) with cataract and concomitant asymptomatic dry eye who underwent cataract surgery were divided into observation group or control group, with 40 cases (40 eyes) in each group. Before 2 weeks of operation, the observation group received dry eye therapy, and the control group did not receive any treatment. The ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scale score, break-up time of tear film (BUT), Schirmer Ⅰ test (SIT), and positive incidence rate of corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), incidence rate of meibomian gland function abnormality at 2 weeks before operation (t1), 1 day before operation (t2), 1 week after operation (t3), and 1 month after operation (t4) were compared between patients of the two groups. The occurrence of symptomatic dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction in patients of both groups was recorded at t3 and t4. Results(1) Compared with t1, the observation group yielded a decreased OSDI scale score at t2, and increased SIT result and BUT at t2; moreover, compared with t2, both groups exhibited an elevated OSDI scale score, and decreased SIT result and BUT at t3 and t4 (all P＜0.05). The observation group interpreted a lower OSDI scale score as compared with the control group at t3, and longer BUT as compared with the control group at t2 and t3 (all P＜0.05). (2) The observation group depicted a decreased incidence rate of meibomian gland function abnormality at t2 as compared with at t1, while the incidence rate of meibomian gland function abnormality at t4 was higher than that at t2, and the observation group yielded a lower incidence rate of meibomian gland function abnormality as compared with the control group at t2 and t3 (all P＜0.05), whereas no statistically significant difference in CFS positive incidence rate was found between various time points (all P＞0.05). (3) The observation group exhibited a lower incidence rate of symptomatic dry eye as compared with the control group at t4, and the incidence rate of meibomian gland dysfunction at t3 and t4 in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (all P＜0.05). ConclusionPreoperative therapy for dry eye can prominently relieve early postoperative dry eye symptom in patients with cataract and concomitant asymptomatic dry eye, ameliorate the stability of tear film, and decrease the occurrence of postoperative meibomian gland dysfunction and symptomatic dry eye.

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