Testing for Dry Eye Disease

People worldwide experience dry eye disease, and some don’t even know it. Dry eye disease in Pittsburg, PA, occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, those tears dry up too quickly, or both. But before your eye doctor can determine if you have dry eye disease, they will need to perform one or more of the following tests.

Testing for Dry Eye Disease
Here is what you can expect.

Slit Lamp Exam
The Slit lamp exam checks to see how much tear production your eyes are producing. This is done by your eye doctor shining a light into each individual eye. They then use a microscope to inspect your eyes.

Schirmer’s Test
The Schirmer’s test involves your eye doctor in Pittsburgh, PA placing a small piece of paper across your eyelid. It will be left there for several minutes, causing your eyes to produce tears. The doctor will then measure your tears by examining how much of the paper is covered.

Tear Breakup Time (TBUT) Test
The Tear Breakup Time test checks your eyes for how quickly your tears evaporate. Your eye doctor will dye your eyes and use a microscope to see how long the tear film remains. This is checked by measuring the amount of time between your last blink and when the first dry spot on your eye shows up. You might have dry eye disease if it’s fewer than 10 seconds.

Antibody Tests
Antibody tests are sometimes performed to check and see if you have any underlying medical conditions.

Do You Need an Optometrist in Pittsburgh, PA?
You should never leave eye issues untreated, or else you risk them getting worse. Contact Lappen Eye Care today to schedule a dry eye evaluation. We have state-of-the-art equipment and resources to provide you with the best optical care available.