Dry Eye Testing – Introduction

Every time you blink, the surface of your eye is nourished by tears. If you have dry eye, your eyes do not produce enough tears or good quality tears, and over time this causes damage to your ocular surface. This is called dry eye, and different people may experience different symptoms, or may not feel any symptoms at all.

If your doctor suspects you have dry eye, they will perform a variety of tests to assist in diagnosis. This process may start with a questionnaire about any discomfort or vision problems you’ve experienced recently. Next, your doctor will evaluate the quantity and quality of your tears, tear composition, the structure of the oil producing glands in your eyelids and more. Your doctor can test how many tears your eye produces with a paper or thread test. Temporary dyes can be applied to the eye surface to visualize dry spots.

Your doctor may take a sample of your tears to measure their quality and check for signs of inflammation. The glands in your eyelids, called Meibomian glands, play a big role in producing oil for your tears. Your doctor will examine your eyelids for blockages or inflammation. Your doctor can take digital images to examine the health of your Meibomian glands, videos to examine your blinking patterns, and even assess the structure of your Meibomian glands in real time.

Since dry eye symptoms can vary between individuals, it’s important to talk to your doctor about what dry eye feels like to you. Confirming the diagnosis and understanding the cause of your dry eye helps your doctor design the best treatment plan, so talk to us today about dry eye testing.