Keratometric Tear Breakup Time and Fluorescein Tear Breakup Time

Completed

Brief Summary: The purpose of the research is to determine if putting fluorescein onto the eye (most common test done for dry eye syndrome) is an accurate way to measure dry eye symptoms. The investigators can avoid placing any foreign substance into the eye by using a manual keratometer. Therefore, the investigators want to compare the measurements of tear breakup time using fluorescein with using a novel method, a manual keratometer and then compare these measurements to a validated dry eye symptoms questionnaire. All qualifying patients who were scheduled in the Jones Eye Institute Clinics for a complete eye exam were offered information about the study and invited to participate. Participants were recruited from February 29, 2009 to April 14, 2009.Participants who did not meet the study protocol's inclusion and exclusion criteria were not included the study or study data analysis. All subjects eyes were measured for KTBUT and FTBUT.

Detailed Description: This is an observational study to measure the difference between Keratometric Tear Break Up Time (KTBUT) and Fluorescein Tear Break Up Time (FTBUT). All qualified study participants had their eyes measured for tear break up time measured with a keratometer and with fluorescein dye. In this study, we compare the use of the most common method, fluorescein dye, to measure tear break up time to a novel method, a keratometer, to measure tear break up time. Using the keratometer avoids instilling fluorescein dye into the tear film and not altering the tear film's physiologic environment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

An adult with corneal pathology that prevents accurate assessment of keratometric or fluorescein tear break up time.
An adult with an allergy to fluorescein, a very common eye dye that detects defects in the cornea.
The inability to answer questions on your own.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Difference Between Keratometric Tear Break Up Time (KTBUT) and Fluorescein Tear Break Up Time (FTBUT)	1 day	This outcome measures the difference in tear break up time using a keratometer and fluorescein dye.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) Questionnaire	1 week	The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) is a validated 12-item questionnaire used in dry eye studies. The OSDI Scale ranges from 0= Normal to 100= Severe. Subcategories include problems--all of the time, most of the time, half of the time,and none of the time.