Evaluation of the Correlation Between Tear Meniscus Parameters and Conventional Dry Eye Tests

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between clinical tests, patient symptoms and spectral optical coherence tomography (OCT; RTVue, Optovue)-derived lower tear meniscus (TM) parameters and to verify sensitivity and specificity of TM parameters in the diagnosis of dry eye disease. Material and Method: 38 eyes of 38 patients (22 dry eye patients, 16 healthy subjects) were examined in this prospective study. After routine ophthalmologic examination, anterior segment OCT-derived TM height (TMH), TM depth (TMD), and TM area (TMA) were measured, and tear break-up time (TBUT) and Schirmer test with anesthesia were assessed in all patients. For evaluation of symptoms, the participants completed ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire. Correlation between tests was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). Results: There was a significant positive correlation between Schirmer test results and TMH, TMA and TMD (r=0.79, 0.58, 0.58, respectively). TBUT was positively correlated with TMH, however, it was not correlated with TMA and TMD (r=0.63, 0.14 and 0.10, respectively). There was no significant correlation between OSDI score and 3 parameters of TM. TM measurements were significantly lower in dry eyes than in controls. Sensitivity and specificity for dry eye diagnosis were 81.5% and 86.8% for TMH, 78.9% and 76.3% for TMA, and 76.3%, and 52.6% for TMD, respectively. Discussion: OCT-derived TM parameters were correlated with Schirmer test, but there was no correlation between TM parameters and patient symptoms. TM measurements have high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of dry eye.