Schirmer Test I

What is the Schirmer I test? 

It is an ophthalmological test that is performed in the medical office and quantifies the basal and reflex tear secretion of the eye. It is used to supplement the diagnosis of dry eye. 

How does the Schirmer I test work?

1. We dry the excess tear from the eye.
2. We carefully insert the tip of a special paper strip into the bottom of the conjunctival sac of the outer third of the eye (the space between the eyelids and the eyeball) and ask the patient to close his or her eyes.
3. The segregated tears progressively wet the paper strip.
4. After approximately 5 minutes, we remove the paper and measure the wet area. The eye with a normal tear production gets more than 15 mm of wet strip.