%0 Journal Article
%A Badian, Reza A
%A Utheim, Tor Paaske
%A Raeder, Sten
%A Utheim, Øygunn Aass
%A Chen, Xiangjun
%A Tashbayev, Behzod
%A Aakre, Bente Monica
%A Ystenas, Ann Elisabeth
%A Sundling, Vibeke
%T Prevalence of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in a Norwegian Working-Age Population Seeking Specialist Eye Care for Dry Eye Symptoms
%B Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
%D 2018
%J Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
%V 59
%N 9
%P 928-928
%@ 1552-5783
%X    To determine the prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in Norwegian working-age population (21 to 69 years) seeking specialist eye care due to dry eye related symptoms.    A total of 721 patients aged 21 to 69 years were examined due to dry eye related symptoms at the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic in the period 2012-2016. All patients initially answered the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire. Patients underwent thorough dry eye examination, including assessment of meibomian gland function. Meibomian gland dysfunction was diagnosed on the basis of meibum quality (score: 0-24) and expressibility (score: 0-3). A score of ≥2-4 for quality with a score of 1 for expressibility, or either a score ≥4 for quality or ≥ 2 for expressibility, was considered abnormal. Patients were also stratified into age groups, and prevalence of MGD was determined for each age category. Group differences and associations were analyzed using standard parametric and non-parametric statistical tests.    The mean age (sd) of the patients was 48 (±13) years, 530 (73.5%) were female. Majority of study subjects, 483 (69%) had moderate to severe dry eye symptoms (OSDI score ≥ 23). The overall prevalence of MGD was 93.2%. In patients aged 21-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years, and 61-69 years, the prevalence of MGD were 87.3%, 93.8%, 94.8%, 93.0% and 94.2%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of MGD between age-groups (χ2 (4)=5.233, p=0.264) or gender (χ2 (1)=2.833, p=0.092). The severity of MGD was not correlated with the severity of dry eye symptoms (rs=0.038, p=0.306).    The majority of the working-age population seeking ophthalmological care for dry eye related symptoms have MGD. In our study, the prevalence of MGD was neither associated with age nor gender. Interestingly, the severity of MGD was not correlated with the severity of dry eye symptoms. This reflects the importance of detection and early treatment MGD in primary eye care.  This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018. 
%[ 3/2/2021