At the New Hampshire Dry Eye Center, you will undergo a comprehensive evaluation for dry eye. This assessment will help determine your type of dry eye and the severity of your condition. These factors are important in determining the best treatment options for your eyes.
An evaluation for dry eye will typically last about one hour from the time you enter the office. Before seeing your doctor, we will obtain a thorough history regarding your dry eye, including a detailed questionnaire, which will help determine the severity of your condition.
Your doctor will perform an examination of your eyes under a microscope. During this portion of the exam, your doctor will assess the ocular surface and measure the ability of your eyes to produce tears. Light pressure will also be applied to your eyelids to evaluate how well your oil glands are functioning.
In addition, you will be given a series of specialized tests for dry eye disease:
Tear osmolarity is a measurement of the salt content of your tears. This number is a key indicator of your tear film quality, and can help diagnose and stage the severity of your dry eye disease.
Our doctors at NH Eye Associates use a diagnostic device, the TearLab® Osmolarity tool, to specifically assesses this marker. Your osmolarity number will give your doctor a meaningful measure of the health and stability of your tear film, and help monitor your response to treatment.
*NH Eye Associates is an accredited TearLab® Dry Eye Center.
InflammaDry® is a diagnostic test that measures MMP-9 levels in your tear film. MMP-9 is an inflammatory marker present in high levels in some patients with dry eye disease.
The InflammaDry test requires a small tear sample collected with a fleece that is gently dabbed along your lower eyelid. By using InflammaDry to ‘rule in’ or ‘rule out’ ocular surface inflammation, our doctors can not only confirm the presence of dry eye, but are better able to determine the most appropriate treatment for your eyes.
The LipiScan® system captures specialized digital images of your oil glands. These images serve as a baseline test in dry eye disease by identifying patients with dysfunctional oil glands. Lipiscan helps guide your treatment choice and monitor your response to therapy over time.
At the completion of your visit, your doctor will review the results of your evaluation and discuss treatment options with you.
Follow-up for dry eye can vary based upon the severity of your condition.
