title: Fluorescein dye disappearance test in patients with different degrees of epiphora.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the diagnostic efficacy of a modification of the fluorescein dye disappearance test (DDT) in patients with different degrees of epiphora.
  
  
  METHODS
  DDT was performed by instilling a drop of 2% fluorescein in the eye. Schirmer tear test strips were placed in the lower conjunctival fornix, after 3 and 10 minutes. The colour dilution on the strips was compared to a scale with known standards and the most closely comparable colour dilution was chosen and recorded as the visual scale test (VST) grade of the strip. The grey-scale value (GV) of each strip was calculated by computer image analysis. The control group comprised 44 patients, mean age 44.8 years (SD 7.5, range 30-60). There were 13 patients in group 1 with moderate epiphora; mean age was 44.2 years (SD 9.5, range 30-60). There were 17 patients in group 2 with severe epiphora; mean age was 48.3 years (SD 7.7, range 37- 60).
  
  
  RESULTS
  VST and GV differed significantly between controls and group 1 patients at 3 minutes (p=0.002, p=0.001), and between controls and group 2 patients at 3 minutes (p<0.001, p<0.001). There was no difference between groups 1 and 2 patients in VST and GV at 3 minutes. The differences were highly significant between controls and group 1 at 10 minutes (p=0.001, p=0.007), and between controls and group 2 at 10 minutes (p<0.001, p<0.001). The differences in GV and VST between groups 1 and 2 were significant at 10 minutes (p=0.026, p=0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This modified DDT permits identification of different degrees of epiphora in a non-invasive manner, it can therefore be used to evaluate the outcome of different treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey. baris.toprak@bayar.edu.tr
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Toprak
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Erkin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kayikçioğlu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seymenoğlu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Güler
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Unlu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D035061:Control Groups; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011897:Random Allocation; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D019793:Fluorescein