Tear Meniscus Height in Dry Eye Syndrome

ABSTRACT

In order to diagnose dry eyes with the TMH, we studied the difference in the TMH between normal eyes and dry eyes. And we measured the time that the TMH after fluorescein instillation become the same with the TMH before fluorescein instillation. Measuring thar meniscus height(TMH) is easy after fluorescir instillation, but the TMH after fluorescein instillation is higher than the TMH before fluoresceirc instillation. Therefore, we measured the time that the TMH after fluorescein instillation became the same with the TMH before fluorescein instillation, and in order to diagnosis dry eyes with the TMH, we studied the difference in the TMH between normal eyes and dry eyes. The TMH was O.19 +/- O.05 mm in normal eyes and O.10 +/- O.04 mm in dry eyes, and there was a significant difference between the two groups. The time that the TMH after fluorescein instillation became the same with the TMH before fluorescein instillation was 2.19 +/- O.81 min. in the mormal eyes and 2.29 +/- O.73min. in the dry eyes. Within 4 min. after fluorescein instillation, the TMH became the same with the TMH before fluorescein instillation in all cases and the height persisted untill 7 min. after fluorescein instillation. Therefore, measuring the TMH will be easy if it is measured at 4-7 min. after fluorescein instillation.