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In-Office Care / Exams and Testing
A dry eye exam is about finding the cause of your symptoms, not just easing them. This guide explains what a workup looks for, the kinds of tests you might encounter, and a few newer options worth asking about. One thing to know up front: every office is different, so treat this as a map of what is possible, not a checklist of what any one office will do.
Key takeaways
Quick answer
It usually starts with questions about your symptoms, then a close look at your eyes and tear film, and often one or more quick tests of your tears and eye surface. Because there is no single test for dry eye, doctors combine a few, and the exact set depends on the office and on what your eyes show. The point of the visit is to find what is driving your dryness so your doctor can build a plan that fits you. Offices differ, so it helps to go in ready to describe your symptoms and to ask what they offer, including a quick corneal sensitivity check and newer tools like inflammation testing and a same-day eye rinse.
What a dry eye workup is looking for
A good exam looks at how much tear you make, how stable and healthy your tear film is, whether the surface of the eye is irritated or damaged, whether the oil glands in your lids are working, and whether there are signs of inflammation. Putting those pieces together tells your doctor what type of dry eye you have, which is what guides the plan. Two people with the same dry, gritty feeling can have very different causes, and that is exactly what testing is meant to sort out.
Expert consensus recommends diagnosing dry eye by combining a symptom questionnaire with at least one objective sign, such as tear breakup time, tear osmolarity, or surface staining, and notes there is no single gold-standard test. Source: TFOS DEWS II Diagnostic Methodology Report (2017). Full citation at the end of this page.
These are examples of what a dry eye workup can include. No office runs every one, not all of them will apply to you, and your doctor chooses based on your symptoms and what your eyes show.
Corneal sensitivity
Your doctor can check how sensitive the surface of your eye is, often with something as simple as a wisp of cotton or a fine strand touched lightly to the eye. It takes seconds and needs no special device, so nearly any office can do it. Reduced sensitivity is worth finding, because it points to the corneal nerves being involved, which makes the surface more fragile and can mean standard dry eye treatment needs to be adjusted. If your dryness has not improved with the usual steps, this is a good thing to ask about.
Reduced corneal sensation, a sign of corneal nerve damage, was found in roughly 30 percent of eyes with signs and symptoms of dry eye, and routine testing is recommended so it can be caught and managed early. Source: Stolz, Clinical Ophthalmology (2025). Full citation at the end of this page.
These need specific equipment or supplies, so not every office has them. Many offices in the Dry Eye Rescue network do, and they let a doctor find and treat the problem on the same day you are seen rather than sending you home to wait.
A quick in-office test, such as InflammaDry, checks your tears for MMP-9, a marker of surface inflammation. The result comes back during the visit, so your doctor knows right away whether inflammation is part of the picture.
A gentle rinse, about one to two minutes, designed to reach under the lids where drops and ordinary washes cannot, flushing out trapped debris and inflammatory triggers. It is a newer option, and the early data is encouraging.
A quick test of how concentrated, or salty, your tears are. High osmolarity is a hallmark of dry eye, and the number helps your doctor gauge severity and track whether treatment is working.
What the early rinse data shows
In an early study of the in-office rinse, MMP-9 inflammation scores fell sharply after one treatment, and close to half of treated eyes moved from a positive to a negative inflammation test at three hours. It is one study, and a newer option, which is why it belongs on the list of things to ask about rather than expect.
A newer in-office rinse delivered with an irrigating eyelid retractor was reported in an early study to lower MMP-9 inflammation scores by roughly 70 percent after a single treatment, with 44 percent of treated eyes moving from a positive to a negative inflammation test at three hours. Source: Mayer et al., Advances in Ophthalmology Practice and Research (2024). Full citation at the end of this page.
Every office is different
Dry Eye Rescue works with a network of over 5,000 eye care professionals, and they do not all practice the same way. Offices use different equipment, offer different tests, and have their own views on which products and treatments work best. That is normal and healthy. There is no single correct setup for dry eye care, and a good doctor tailors the visit to you rather than running a fixed list.
So treat the tests and options described here as a general map of what is possible, not a promise of what any particular office provides. The best way to know what an office offers is to ask when you book, and then to let your doctor guide the plan once they have examined your eyes.
A little preparation helps your doctor get to the cause faster.
Dry Eye Rescue Tip
When you book, ask the office what dry eye testing and treatments they provide, including newer tools like inflammation testing and a same-day eye rinse. Practices vary widely, and a quick question up front means no surprises at the visit. It also helps you find an office that fits what you are looking for, so your time and the doctor's time are both well spent.
Ready to get to the cause? Dry Eye Rescue works with a network of over 5,000 eye care professionals. Use the Doctor Locator to find one near you who can evaluate your eyes, or start with the basics while you book your visit.
The individual tests, and where to go next.
An objective number for how salty your tears are, and why it helps.
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A seconds-long check of the eye's surface nerves, and what it can reveal.
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Every test and in-office treatment offered across our network.
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How the Doctor Locator works and how to prepare for the visit.
Read the guideNo. There is no single test for dry eye, and offices differ in their equipment and approach. Your doctor chooses the checks that fit your symptoms and what your eyes show, so two visits can look different and both be good care.
Symptoms matter a lot, but doctors usually confirm dry eye with at least one objective sign as well, which also helps find the cause. Your doctor decides how much testing your case needs.
The inflammation test, such as InflammaDry, checks your tears for MMP-9, a marker of surface inflammation, with a result during the visit. The eye rinse, such as Rinsada, is a quick in-office flush designed to clear trapped debris and inflammatory triggers from under the lids. Many network offices offer these, so ask whether yours does.
Most checks are quick and comfortable. Some use a drop of dye or a small paper strip at the lid. Your doctor will explain each step, and you can ask questions at any point.
Sometimes timing matters for certain tests. The safest move is to ask the office for instructions when you schedule, and to bring your drops with you.
That is normal and perfectly fine. There is no single required test, and your doctor can diagnose and treat dry eye well with the tools they have. This guide simply shows the range of what exists.
They may, based on what they find. Recommendations vary from doctor to doctor, so follow the advice of the professional who examined your eyes rather than assuming a specific product in advance.
Use the Dry Eye Rescue Doctor Locator to find an eye care professional near you who can evaluate your eyes and build a plan that fits.
Sources
This page is educational and does not replace a personal evaluation by your eye care professional. It describes tests and approaches that exist in dry eye care, but it is not a list of what any specific office provides. Offices in the network use different equipment, offer different tests, and recommend different products, and your doctor will decide what is right for your eyes. Some of the options named here are newer and may not yet appear in every clinical guideline. InflammaDry is a trademark of QuidelOrtho. ScoutPro and Rinsada are trademarks of their respective owners. Dry Eye Rescue supplies some of these products to eye care practices. Product and brand names referenced on this site are trademarks of their respective owners. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms and your options.
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