Efficacy of dye disappearance test and tear meniscus height in diagnosis and postoperative assessment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of the fluorescein dye disappearance test (FDDT) and measurement of tear meniscus height (TMH) in the diagnosis and postoperative assessment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO).

METHODS

The study group included 42 eyes of 42 patients who had a diagnosis of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) or functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction (FNDO) and underwent endoscopic transnasal dacryocystorhinostomy. The control group included 38 eyes of 38 people without tearing. The values of the FDDT, TMH and tearing symptom score (TSS), which was evaluated in five levels based on patients' history taking, were measured before surgery, and 1 day, 2 weeks, 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. The values of the FDDT, TMH and TSS in the study group were compared with those of the control group.

RESULTS

The preoperative values of the FDDT, TMH and TSS were 0.7 +/- 0.4, 0.22 +/- 0.08 mm and 1.6, respectively, in the control group and 3.0 +/- 0.8, 0.53 +/- 0.15 mm and 4.4, respectively, in the study group. These differences were statistically significant. Also, at each follow-up, the postoperative values of the FDDT and TMH decreased significantly compared to their preoperative values in the study group. The postoperative TSS decreased significantly compared to the preoperative values at each follow-up except at postoperative 1-day follow-up. There were no significant differences in the preoperative values of the FDDT, TMH and TSS between the types of NLDO. The TSS had positive correlations with the FDDT and TMH before and after surgery.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the FDDT and TMH measurement might be effective in the diagnosis and postoperative assessment of NLDO.