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ABSTRACT
Tear film are responsible for the perfectly smooth ocular surface which allows clear vision. Schirmer test, which can be carried out with or without anesthetic, evaluates if the eyes generates sufficient tears to keep it moist and debris free. The study was aimed at comparing tear production in 2minute and the standard 5minutes with the eyes opened and closed using Schirmer test 1(without anesthetic), and also to determine commercial drivers with dry eye disease in University of Benin. An observational study which involved 100 participants which consisted of 79 males and 21 females within the age group of 20 to 70 years with a mean±standard deviation of 34.03 ± 10.54 years. Participants were ask to keep their eyes opened, then Schirmer tear test was measured in two and five minutes,and also few minutes later it was done with thier eyes closed for the right eyes. The same precedure was repeated for the left eyes. The data was analyzed using student paired t - test, and it showed that there was a statistically significant difference between opened and closed eyes and also between 2minutes and 5minutes Schirmer test in both eyes. Additionally most commercial drivers had tear quantity above 15mm in both 2 and 5 minutes this showed that driving activity does not influence tear production. In the right eye, the average tear volume was 16.68 ± 7.81mm and 24.85 ± 8.37mm at two and five minutes respectively, when opened (p = 0.000). When closed, the average tear volume in the right eye was 13.87 ± 7.11mm at two minutes and 18.92 ± 8.20mm at five minutes (p = 0.000). Also, the tear volume of the opened eye was significantly higher than that of the closed eye at both 2 minutes (p = 0.000) and 5 minutes (p = 0.000). In conclusion, there is a significant difference in tear quantity at 2 and 5 minutes and also in opened and closed eyes. Additionally tear quantity is not affected in drivers.
