Surface matters

Aston University reader Dr Shehzad Naroo told delegates to take the tear film into consideration when imaging the eye at the Topcon National OCT Conference (19-20 November, Hilton London Paddington).

In his presentation, Not a dry eye in the clinic? The impact of tear film on ocular imaging, Dr Naroo highlighted that dry eye affects ocular biometry.

“The tears are the first surface of the eye,” he observed.

“In patients who have dry eye you need to improve the surface before you take your measurements,” Dr Naroo added.

Using lubricating drops with dry eye patients could help to create a better surface and improve image quality, Dr Naroo explained.

He recommended hyaluronic acid as a way of supporting long-lasting stability.

An examination of the tear film should be carried out before carrying out a measurement that can be affected by the quality of tears, such as an ocular coherence tomography scan, he shared.

This should evaluate the quantity, quality and stability of the tear film, Dr Naroo highlighted.

“Start to build up a picture of whether the patient has dry eye,” he highlighted.