interpreting schirmer's score

[ttdub]

if a doctor says after doing the shirmer's test that I produce 10% of the tears I should. What is the schirmer's score for that?

[Lucy]

ttdub............How many drops does it take to fill a bathtub? That's the sort of question you're asking. I'll do a quickie here. The 10% doesn't mean much except apparently you do not have many tears. (Not trying to be smart.) The number thing is not important because I don't know where the doctor started as normal, Oh, it's too late at night to do calculations.

For example, I have zero when I test on the Schirmers test in both eyes. This is a 5 minute, controlled test, with anesthesia. Both my eyes are dry, but one is worse, even with zero than the other, also zero. One eye hurts like heck and the other doesn't at zero. This can be the same if you have for example 3mm per eye. One person with 3mm per eye can be quite comfortable and someone else in incredible pain. I probably didn't answer your question. There is no way anyone can tell you what your "score" is.
The doctor should be able to tell you, but it still doesn't mean anything.

Is he treating you for dry eye? Is he putting you on Restasis? How about warm compresses? These are the important things to address if you want relief from dry eye. What is he going to do to improve the "10% of the tears you should produce?" Lucy

[ttdub]

He is putting me on restasis. Never said anything about warm compresses but isn't that just for MGD people? I am about to get my uppers plugged today. I'll let everyone know how it went.

[ttdub]

ttdub............How many drops does it take to fill a bathtub? That's the sort of question you're asking. I'll do a quickie here. The 10% doesn't mean much except apparently you do not have many tears. (Not trying to be smart.) The number thing is not important because I don't know where the doctor started as normal, Oh, it's too late at night to do calculations.

For example, I have zero when I test on the Schirmers test in both eyes. This is a 5 minute, controlled test, with anesthesia. Both my eyes are dry, but one is worse, even with zero than the other, also zero. One eye hurts like heck and the other doesn't at zero. This can be the same if you have for example 3mm per eye. One person with 3mm per eye can be quite comfortable and someone else in incredible pain. I probably didn't answer your question. There is no way anyone can tell you what your "score" is.
The doctor should be able to tell you, but it still doesn't mean anything.

Is he treating you for dry eye? Is he putting you on Restasis? How about warm compresses? These are the important things to address if you want relief from dry eye. What is he going to do to improve the "10% of the tears you should produce?" Lucy

Are you really telling me there are people out there who produce 0 tears but yet have no pain???

[msienkiewicz]

I have schirmers of 8 in my left and 12 in my right, and my right is the uncomfortable eye. Even with near normal schirmers, I still have difficulties because of the posterior bleph (MGD). I produce little to no good oil to keep those tears on my eye. That's why I use the goggles all the time to cut down on the evaporation, and I use restasis too to help build up my tear film and reduce inflammation.

I was told that there are people with schirmers of under 5 that are very comfortable and don't consider themselves to have dry eye. So the number actually means very little. In fact, I see no need to be tested anymore. I simply discuss my comfort level.

Melissa

[Gretchen]

TTD-

I agree with Melissa. Do not get caught up with these numbers. My Schirmer's are 10+ both eyes, my TBUT is 8-10 seconds and I am miserable. My doctor said that my glands are obviously clogged and my eyes are inflamed. Those numbers mean little.

Gretchen

[calli66]

I've had a 2 Schirmers since 2005---never changes. I have been totally miserable, in pain, and desparate at times....and like now....comfortable and fairly stable. I do the scrub, the oil expression, the warm rice baggy, and FreshKote drops twice a day.

I agree with others here---I think that inflammation substances and meibomitis (lid involvement) cause most of the dryness/pain.

Calli