Diagnosing Dry Eyes With the Keratograph 5M

Your eyes need tears for proper lubrication to keep your vision clear and healthy. If your eyes don’t produce adequate quantity or quality of tears or tear film, it is described as dry eye. This is a common condition that many eye doctors have to deal with every day. Nearly five million adults in the United States aged 50 years and older suffer from the discomfort brought about by this ocular surface disease. Since multiple factors cause dry eye, it’s not very easy to treat nor diagnose. But as technology progresses, our capability to detect and monitor this chronic eye condition continues to develop.

How Keratograph 5M Works

Keratograph 5M is an advanced imaging technology used for dry eye screening. This state-of-the-art machine has unlocked an entirely new perspective in tear film analysis. This device measures the quality and stability of the tear film. As you may already know, the tear film is the fresh layer of tears secreted by the lacrimal glands. It’s spread over the eyes each time you blink. This clear liquid consists of three components that work together in keeping the eyes moist, smooth, and comfortable. These are the mucus layer, the watery layer, and the oily layer. The non-invasive examination involved in the use of Keratograph 5M generally takes less than half a minute.

Further, technology is used to test the tear film’s quantity. This is done by taking a high-resolution colored photo of the lower eyelid. This way, the device can precisely measure the tear meniscus height or tear volume through its built-in ruler. The Keratograph 5M can also record a video of the tear film’s oily layer using white light interferometry. The thickness of this layer can be assessed through its color and structure. It’s important to note that the oily layer keeps the tears from evaporating. The device can help detect if the oily layer is compromised.

Keratograph 5M also has intelligent software that analyzes the collected data and documents the findings. This enables eye doctors to monitor the progress of dry eye treatment and compare the before and after results.

Why Experts Use Keratograph 5M

One significant advantage of using Keratograph 5M is that it’s a user-friendly diagnostic tool. It’s painless, non-invasive, and quick. The corneal topography part of the eye exam is non-contact. During a meibo-scan, your eye doctor can just use a cotton swab on the eyelid to examine any morphological changes or dysfunction in the meibomian glands. Another huge benefit is that the device helps fill the gaps between diagnosing the patients and educating them about their dry eye disease. Keratograph 5M can provide a color map and reports that they can look at and easily understand.

Early diagnosis is crucial in preserving your eye health. Many eye conditions that cause discomfort and reduced vision can be treated if detected early on. Are you looking for a quick, effective test to screen dry eyes? Visit Drs. Dobbins & Letourneau Eye Care today in Lawrence, Kansas. Call us now at (785) 843-5665 to schedule your consultation.