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Stable tear film yields better functional acuity measurement
WASHINGTON — To assess a patient’s functional visual acuity, the acuity should be measured after the patient’s eyes have been open for 30 seconds, according to Kazuo Tsubota, MD.
Dr. Tsubota and colleagues found that visual acuity measurements are more true to life when tests are performed with the patient’s eyes held open for a period of time, rather than allowing the patients to blink at will, he told attendees here at the World Cornea Congress.
Most patients can see well just after they blink and the tear film refreshes, he explained, but in real-life situations, such as when patients are staring at computers, they may experience more symptoms of dry eye.
Factors that contribute to dry eye include a decrease in tear production, inflammation, unstable tear film and a decreased rate of blinking, he said.
“Stable tear film is essential,” Dr. Tsubota said. “Unstable tear film can decrease the function of the visual acuity and can be the primary target for stabilizing dry eye.”