UT Southwestern researchers develop new diagnostic method for dry eye syndrome

by John P. Meyer

If your eyes are chronically dry ("dry eye syndrome") and you - and your doctor - aren't even aware of it, your vision could be in jeopardy.

Lissamine Green to the rescue!

Doctor/researchers (not to be confused with philosopher/kings) at UT Southwestern Medical School have determined that the staining solution (which actually turns suspect areas blue, not green) can be used to diagnose early stages of dry eye, which can lead to deteriorating vision and infection.

Would you believe that Dr. James McCulley is one of the world's leading experts on dry eye syndrome? Yep, me too.

Dr. James McCulley, chair of ophthalmology at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study appearing in the July issue of Eye and Contact Lens (one of my bathroom reading standbys), describes the findings: "What this research showed is that the degree and pattern of staining was a good, objective indicator of the severity of the tear deficiency."

Apparently, Lissamine Green has been used as a diagnostic staining agent for some time, but it's only now that eye docs have paid particular attention to the staining patterns that show up on the eyeball itself.

To cut to the chase, when the blue staining caused by Lissamine Green shows up on the cornea itself (as opposed to the white areas around it), this indicates a break in surface cells which could lead to the introduction of bacteria and thence infection.

Another advantage of Lissy G., as I like to call it, is that it won't sting the eye like Rose Bengal. Whatever that is.