The reproducibility of the Schirmer test.

Author: Jin Hak LEE ¹ ; Pil Mok HYUN
Author Information

1. Department of Ophthalmology College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Publication Type:Original Article
Keywords: Schirmer test; dry eye; reproducibility; ratio of misdiagnosis
MeSH: Diagnostic Errors; Humans; Keratoconjunctivitis/*diagnosis; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca/*diagnosis; Reproducibility of Results; Time Factors
From:Korean Journal of Ophthalmology 1988;2(1):5-8
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: The Schirmer test was performed 1350 times in 110 normal individuals and 15 dry eye patients to investigate the significance of the test as a diagnostic method for dry eye. The reproducibility of the Schirmer test was 54.5% in normal individuals and 41.9% in dry eye patients. There was no difference in the reproducibility between the groups with topical anesthesia and those without it. The ratio of misdiagnosis by Schirmer test was 48.4%. These results suggest that it is impossible to differentiate dry eye patients from normal individuals by the Schirmer test.