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15-SECOND BLINK TEST
THE 15-SECOND BLINK TEST FOR DRY EYES
Take our 15-second Blink Test to see if you have Dry Eyes.
- Blink a couple of times to moisten your eyes.
- Stare at our Drops for 15 seconds without blinking.
- Blink again.
- If you blinked before the 15-seconds finished - you may have dry eyes.
Our Blink Test measures your Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) - more details below. Your TBUT can tell if you have Dry Eyes.
“When your eyes don't produce the right quality & quantity of tears - you have an unstable tear film, and your eyes will feel dry, gritty, sore and red”
What is Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT)?
Your Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) is the time it takes for your tears to break up or evaporate from the surface of your eyes. A healthy tear film is essential for maintaining clear vision, lubricating the eye surface, and protecting against infections.
When your eyes don't produce the right quality & quantity of tears - you have an unstable tear film, and your eyes will feel dry, gritty, sore and red. This is known as dry eyes or dry eye syndrome.
Try our 60-second Eye Test
If you blinked before the timer finished – your tear film is unstable, and you probably have dry eyes.
Take our 60-second Eye Check to measure how dry your eyes are more accurately. Based on the OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index), you get a score from 0 to 100 - the higher the score, the drier your eyes are. And we assess how dry your eyes are - NORMAL, MILD, MODERATE or SEVERE.
Why Measure Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT)?
Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) is a valuable diagnostic tool because it provides quantitative and qualitative information about your tears. By measuring the time it takes for tears to break up, opticians and ophthalmologists can determine if your eyes produce enough tears (quantity) and if the tears have the right composition (quality) to maintain a stable tear film.
Regularly measuring your Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) can help detect dry eye syndrome in its early stages. Early detection is crucial for timely intervention and management of the condition, preventing complications such as corneal abrasions, infections, and vision problems.
Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) measurements can also help monitor the effectiveness of treatments for dry eye syndrome. By comparing TBUT results before and after treatment, you can assess if what you're doing (eye drops, sprays, other treatment) improves tear film stability and alleviates dry eye symptoms.
How Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) is Measured by Optometrists & Ophthalmologists
A normal Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) ranges from 10 to 20 seconds, with less than 10 seconds suggesting an unstable tear film and possibly dry eye syndrome. Our Blink Test uses 15 seconds.
The most common method for measuring TBUT is the fluorescein tear break-up time test (FTBUT), which involves these steps:
- A harmless fluorescein dye is instilled into your eye using a sterile strip or eye drops to help visualize the tear film.
- You blink several times to spread the dye evenly across the eye surface.
- Your eye care professional observes your tear film with a slit-lamp microscope and a cobalt blue light filter.
- The time until the first dry spot appears in the tear film post-blink is recorded as your TBUT.
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