Diagnosis of dry eye

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Ocular Surface Disease

Background:

• Dry eye disease presents with symptoms, ocular surface damage, reduced tear film stability, and tear hyperosmolarity.
• Inflammatory components are also characteristic of dry eye disease.
• Diagnostic tests like questionnaires, staining, tear break-up time, and osmometry can identify these features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an optimal diagnostic sequence for dry eye disease.
• To guide clinicians in classifying dry eye into tear-deficient or evaporative types.

Main Methods:

• Review of diagnostic tests for dry eye disease.
• Proposal of a sequential testing protocol for a single clinic visit.

Main Results:

• No direct correlation exists between symptom severity and objective measures of ocular surface damage or tear deficiency.
• Dry eye disease can be classified into tear-deficient and evaporative subtypes, which often co-exist.

Conclusions:

• Optimal dry eye disease diagnosis relies on integrating results from multiple tests.
• A suggested order of tests is provided to enhance diagnostic efficiency in a clinical setting.