Schirmer's test of lacrimation

Schirmer's test is a simple, semiquantitative test of tear production. It is based on the physical tendency of a fluid to travel along a strip of porous material by capillary action due to surface tension. Sterile strips, standardized and prepackaged, are available from local scientific supply houses. The low cost and simplicity of this test make it useful in confirming the diagnosis of diseases involving decreased lacrimal secretion.