These are tests that measure the quality of tears and the amount of secretions and give us an idea about tear deficiency. These are easily measured tests in the examination environment.
SCHIRMER TEST
It is used to measure tear secretion.
Measurement is made with a special filter paper placed between the lower lid and the eye 1/3 outside of the eye.
If it is less than 5mm in the measurement made after 5 minutes, it is considered to be in favor of dry eye and if it is more than 10mm, it is considered normal.
It gives information about basal and reflex secretion of tears.
When we do the same test with a topical anesthetic instillation, it should be more than 3 mm after 10 minutes.
It gives information about basal tear secretion.
Tear Break Time
It gives an idea about tear quality. Sometimes, dry eye symptoms can occur even if tear secretion is normal or even more than normal. This situation is often related to tear quality. Tear break time test; Following the instillation of fluorescein into the eye, the patient crops his eyes several times, and then the cornea is examined under cobalt blue under a biomicroscope and during this time the patient does not blink. It shows the tear breaking time when the first black spot occurs. If it is more than 10 seconds, it is considered normal.
