Schirmer's Test

Most often, dry eyes are due to Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid) , Sjogren syndrome, aging, eye infections, corneal ulcers or other factors. Schirmer's Test is done to check for dry eyes or even severely watering eyes. A special strip of paper is placed inside the lower eyelids for about 5 minutes. The paper strips are then checked for level of moisture to determine the eye's ability to produce tears. How far down the tears reach on the paper strips is also noticed. In some cases, anaesthetic drops are applied prior to administering this test. Another alternative to the Schirmer's Test is the Phenol Red Thread test wherein red strips of special thread are used instead of special paper strips. Remove contact lenses before this test and do not wear for a couple of hours after it.