How is dry eye diagnosed?
Dry eye is diagnosed from the history together with an examination of the ocular surface, which usually includes how quickly the tear film breaks up, how the eyelids and glands look, and sometimes a test of tear production.
- Subject
- Eye conditions
- Topic
- Dry eye
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
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It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Eye conditions & diseases in Dry eye . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
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- Condition Dry eye
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
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- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026