I have been reading about these on this site and am wondering how do I go about getting them done? Two eye doctors have looked at my tear film with stain and told me it was good, yet I am very symptomatic (tearing, vision fluctuation, photophobia). How do I go about finding someone who does this testing. Anywhere in NY Metro area would work.
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Osmolarity and Schirmer tests
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Schirmer's test and TBUTs (along with dye) are standard tests that any ophthalmologist would do. But I suppose you could specifically request these tests if the doctor wasn't going to do them.
For Tearlab's Osmolarity test, you can look for a doctor's location using their website: http://www.tearlab.com/contact/finddoctor.htm
Good luck.
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Some doctors don't, or rather won't do Schirmer because of reliability concerns or they feel they can adequately assess tear volume other ways. If you do get Schirmer, pay attention to whether you are anaesthetized beforehand or not. Ideally, get it done both with and without anaesthetic. They are assessing two different things.
Personally I'll never let anyone schirmer me again (shudder). Hurts me too dang much, and I'd trust a good doc to figure it out without that strap.Rebecca Petris
The Dry Eye Foundation
dryeyefoundation.org
800-484-0244
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Wikipedia's page on Schirmer's test says
Even though this test has been available for over a century, several clinical studies have shown that it does not properly identify a large group of patients with dry eyes. Newer and better tests of tear production and function are now emerging.
* One test measures an iron-binding molecule called lactoferrin. The amount of this molecule appears to be closely related to tear production. Patients with low tear production and dry eyes have low levels of this molecule. This test may be especially valuable for patients with dry eyes since it can point to specific treatment strategies for dry eye.
*The tears may also be examined for their content of lysozyme, an enzyme normally found in tears.
*Another test involves fluorescein eye drops, which contain a dye that is placed in the eye. The dye should drain with the tears through the lacrimal duct into the nose within 2 minutes. If patients do not have enough tears to flush the dye into the nose, this time will be longer. A new test is also available to more accurately measure the flow of dye out of the eye.
I guess the point is --- there are lots of tests. I would hope that a doctor would do them ALL to help figure out what the problem is!!
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