Korean J Ophthalmol.  1988 Jun;2(1):5-8. 10.3341/kjo.1988.2.1.5.

The reproducibility of the Schirmer test

• Lee JH
• Hyun PM

• KMID: 1735016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.1988.2.1.5

Abstract

The Schirmer test was performed 1350 times in 110 normal individuals and 15 dry eye patients to investigate the significance of the test as a diagnostic method for dry eye. The reproducibility of the Schirmer test was 54.5% in normal individuals and 41.9% in dry eye patients. There was no difference in the reproducibility between the groups with topical anesthesia and those without it. The ratio of misdiagnosis by Schirmer test was 48.4%. These results suggest that it is impossible to differentiate dry eye patients from normal individuals by the Schirmer test.

Keyword

Schirmer test; dry eye; reproducibility; ratio of misdiagnosis

MeSH Terms

Diagnostic Errors
Humans
Keratoconjunctivitis/*diagnosis
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca/*diagnosis
Reproducibility of Results
Time Factors