Question

You decide to perform the Schirmer 1 test (without anesthetic) on a 23 year-old patient with symptoms of dry eye. After a period of 5 minutes, which of the following values indicates the threshold whereby any measurement below this is considered abnormal?

-25mm
-15mm
-12mm
-10mm
-18mm

Answer 1

In the Schirmer 1 test for dry eye, a measurement below 10mm after 5 minutes is considered abnormal and indicative of dry eye syndrome.

Step-by-step explanation:

You asked about the Schirmer 1 test, which is a common diagnostic tool used to measure tear production and determine the presence of dry eye syndrome.

During the Schirmer 1 test, a special strip of paper is placed under the lower eyelid, and tear production is measured over a 5-minute period. An abnormal result, indicating dry eye, is if the wetting of the strip is less than 10mm in this time frame.

Therefore, after the test is performed on a patient if the strip measures below 10mm, it is considered an indication of abnormal tear production. This threshold value is used as a diagnostic criterion for dry eye syndrome.