JAN 16, 2009
Comprehensive Ophthalmology
Researchers assessed agreement among several common dry eye diagnostic tests - including phenol red thread test (PRT), tear film break-up time (TBUT), biomicroscopic examination and impression cytological assessment of conjunctival goblet cells, and McMonnies' dry eye questionnaire (MQ) test - in 91 subjects with dry eyes. Only tests assessing lipid/mucous deficiency (Meibomian gland pathology, MQ, reduced goblet cell density and TBUT) demonstrated correlation. They observed a statistically significant difference between PRT results and all other tests. The authors conclude that evaporative dry eye can be identified by several tests, but the assessment of aqueous deficiency is more difficult, as shown by the poor correlation between symptoms and direct measurement of tear volume.