title: Reliability of fluorescein dye disappearance test in assessment of adults with nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of fluorescein dye disappearance test (FDDT) in assessment of adults with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and its correlation with age and severity of epiphora.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, cross-sectional comparative study, FDDT at 2 (2-FDDT), 5 (5-FDDT), and 10 (10-FDDT) minutes were performed in 58 eyes of 58 patients with PANDO (case) and 58 eyes of 58 subjects without epiphora (control) between 2008 and 2010. Exclusion criteria were any disease, trauma, or medications that might have an effect on tear drainage system. Patients with functional or incomplete obstruction and upper lacrimal drainage system obstruction were excluded in the case group. FDDT and severity of epiphora were graded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Case and control groups were matched. 2-FDDT showed a sensitivity of 82.8%, specificity of 91.4%, positive predictive value of 90.6%, and negative predictive value of 84.1%. Sensitivity and negative predictive value decreased to 71.1% and 78.6% in 5-FDDT. 5-FDDT specificity and positive predictive value, however, increased to 94.8% and 93.5%, respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between severity of epiphora and age with FDDT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDDT is a simple, reliable, and highly specific test in assessment of adults with PANDO.
authors.affiliation: Eye Plastic Unit, Eye Research Center, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran. bahmanik@eyeplasticsurgeries.com
authors.forename: Mohsen Bahmani
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kashkouli
authors.forename: Hoora
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirzajani
authors.forename: Mansooreh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamshidian-Tehrani
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pakdel
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nojomi
authors.forename: Gholam-Hossein
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Aghaei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D019793:Fluorescein