title: Noninvasive interference tear meniscometry in dry eye patients with Sjögren syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare noninvasive tear meniscus height (NI-TMH) using a tear interference device in normal subjects and dry eye patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS), and to investigate the applicability of this new method before and after the punctal occlusion procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tear meniscus was visualized noninvasively using a tear interference device (Tearscope plus, Keeler, Windsor, United Kingdom). Tear interference image was captured with digital video camera (SP-321, JFC Sales Plan Co, Tokyo, Japan) attached to the slit-lamp. Lower lid margin NI-TMH was measured using image analysis software. NI-TMH of 28 eyes from 17 normal subjects and 46 eyes from 27 aqueous tear deficiency (ATD) dry eye patients with SS were compared. The change of NI-TMH three weeks after the successful punctal occlusion was examined in 11 eyes of eight dry eye subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tear meniscus was well visualized with the tear interference device in all cases. Lower lid margin NI-TMH was 0.22 +/- 0.065 mm in normal subjects, and 0.13 +/- 0.042 mm in SS subjects, respectively (P < .0001). After the punctal occlusion, lower lid margin NI-TMH increased significantly from 0.12 +/- 0.026 mm to 0.42 +/- 0.21 mm (P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NI-TMH was substantially lower in SS subjects and also significantly improved after punctal occlusion. This method is expected to be helpful in the diagnosis and in the evaluation of the efficacy of punctal occlusion in ATD dry eyes such as SS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.forename: Eiki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasuya
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukagawa
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogru
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013499:Surface Properties; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*; D014741:Video Recording