[Current methods of tear film stability assessment]

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film, and accompanied by ocular symptoms, in which tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, ocular surface inflammation and damage, and neurosensory abnormalities play etiological roles. The clinical manifestations of DES can be highly variable, so its diagnosing is typically based on a combination of symptoms, signs, and clinical tests. Majority of the techniques involved in the diagnosis of this disease has a large degree of subjectivity. The present article reviews current dry eye diagnostic tests and presents a new tear film stability assessment technique that may potentially become the objective method for establishing DES diagnosis.