Chronic Dry Eye: A Closer Look

Diagnosing the Condition

Only a doctor can determine if your dry eye condition is actually Chronic Dry Eye. To make this diagnosis the dry eye specialist will ask you to describe your dry eye symptoms and the impact that they have on your daily life. Does reading or working at the computer present a problem? Do you regularly experience itching, burning or the feeling there’s a foreign body in your eye? You can help your doctor by bringing with you a completed copy of the Chronic Dry Eye questionnaire from this Web site.

Once the two of you have reviewed your answers to the questionnaire, the dry eye specialist may perform a series of simple tests to evaluate the tears you are producing naturally. Factors such as the evaporation rate and the actual quantity of tears you make will be taken into consideration. He or she also may use diagnostic eye drops for dry eyes that can reveal damage to the ocular surface otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

Common Diagnostic Tests for Dry Eye Conditions

• Schirmer test – uses paper strips under eyelid to measure the wetness that collects over a specific period of time.
• Staining – uses special dyes to highlight areas of possible damage to the eye surface.
• Slit lamp examination – a special, focused light beam the doctor uses to see changes in the ocular surface. Many times this is used in conjunction with staining.