PURPOSE: To investigate the applicability of a newly developed corneal topographer in assessing tear film stability. METHODS: This is a prospective, case-control study. Forty-four Chinese dry eye patients and 41 normal subjects were recruited. Noninvasive tear film break-up time (NI-BUT) was measured using a new method based on a corneal topographer equipped with modified scan software. The reliability of the measurements was determined. Then, the correlations between the NI-BUT and the traditional fluorescein tear film break-up time, Schirmer I test values, and inferior tear meniscus height measurements were determined. The receiver operating characteristic curve technique was used to evaluate the NI-BUT examination in the diagnosis of dry eye. RESULTS: In total, a significant difference between the NI-BUT and the fluorescein tear film break-up time was found (3.2 ± 2.3 seconds vs. 5.2 ± 3.4 seconds; P < 0.001). The coefficient of variation and intraclass correlation coefficient values of NI-BUT were 12.8% and 0.93, respectively, for NI-BUT for intraobserver repeatability and 15.4% and 0.88, respectively for interobserver repeatability. The NI-BUT showed a good correlation with other dry eye examinations (all P < 0.05). In addition, the NI-BUT was significantly shorter in dry eye patients (2.0 ± 0.2 seconds) than in normal subjects (4.3 ± 0.3 seconds; P < 0.001). When the cutoff value was set at <2.65 seconds, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were 84.1% and 75.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of NI-BUT obtained with the newly developed corneal topographer may provide a simple, noninvasive screening test for dry eyes with acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability.
PURPOSE: To investigate the applicability of a newly developed corneal topographer in assessing tear film stability. METHODS: This is a prospective, case-control study. Forty-four Chinese dry eyepatients and 41 normal subjects were recruited. Noninvasive tear film break-up time (NI-BUT) was measured using a new method based on a corneal topographer equipped with modified scan software. The reliability of the measurements was determined. Then, the correlations between the NI-BUT and the traditional fluorescein tear film break-up time, Schirmer I test values, and inferior tear meniscus height measurements were determined. The receiver operating characteristic curve technique was used to evaluate the NI-BUT examination in the diagnosis of dry eye. RESULTS: In total, a significant difference between the NI-BUT and the fluorescein tear film break-up time was found (3.2 ± 2.3 seconds vs. 5.2 ± 3.4 seconds; P < 0.001). The coefficient of variation and intraclass correlation coefficient values of NI-BUT were 12.8% and 0.93, respectively, for NI-BUT for intraobserver repeatability and 15.4% and 0.88, respectively for interobserver repeatability. The NI-BUT showed a good correlation with other dry eye examinations (all P < 0.05). In addition, the NI-BUT was significantly shorter in dry eyepatients (2.0 ± 0.2 seconds) than in normal subjects (4.3 ± 0.3 seconds; P < 0.001). When the cutoff value was set at <2.65 seconds, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were 84.1% and 75.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of NI-BUT obtained with the newly developed corneal topographer may provide a simple, noninvasive screening test for dry eyes with acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability.
Authors: Mark D P Willcox; Pablo Argüeso; Georgi A Georgiev; Juha M Holopainen; Gordon W Laurie; Tom J Millar; Eric B Papas; Jannick P Rolland; Tannin A Schmidt; Ulrike Stahl; Tatiana Suarez; Lakshman N Subbaraman; Omür Ö Uçakhan; Lyndon Jones Journal: Ocul Surf Date: 2017-07-20 Impact factor: 5.033
Authors: Joaquín Fernández; Manuel Rodríguez-Vallejo; Javier Martínez; Ana Tauste; Javier García-Montesinos; David P Piñero Journal: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol Date: 2018-04-18 Impact factor: 3.117
Authors: Abdelrahman M Elhusseiny; Ali A Khalil; Reem H El Sheikh; Mohammad A Bakr; Mohamed Gaber Eissa; Yasmine M El Sayed Journal: Int J Ophthalmol Date: 2019-10-18 Impact factor: 1.779
Authors: Anders H Vestergaard; Keea T Grønbech; Jakob Grauslund; Anders R Ivarsen; Jesper Ø Hjortdal Journal: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol Date: 2013-06-22 Impact factor: 3.117