Home Heat Masks
Warm compresses that keep the oil glands flowing between visits.
Dry Eye Testing / Imaging
Keratograph Dry Eye Analysis
The Oculus Keratograph is an in-office imaging device that maps your tear film and eyelid oil glands, so your doctor can see exactly where your dry eye comes from and build a treatment plan around it. Here is what it measures, what the visit looks like, and how to find a provider.
Key takeaways
- Doctors diagnose dry eye by taking a detailed history and performing a thorough external eye evaluation; a comprehensive dry eye evaluation then identifies the root cause so a custom plan can be built.
- The Oculus Keratograph 5M is a dry eye imaging device that some practices in our network use for that evaluation.
- It produces images, measurements and videos that break dry eye down into its individual components and show where your condition comes from.
- Having the right diagnostic technology is key to proper treatment and management of dry eye, because different causes call for different care.
Quick answer
What is a Keratograph dry eye analysis?
It is an in-office imaging exam. The Oculus Keratograph 5M photographs and measures your tear film and eyelid oil glands and produces a report your doctor can show you, with the images, measurements and videos that break dry eye down into its individual components. Doctors order it after a history and external eye evaluation, to identify the root cause of your dry eye and build a custom treatment plan.
How the evaluation works
History and exam first, then imaging
Doctors in our network diagnose dry eye syndrome by taking a detailed patient history and performing a thorough external eye evaluation. Once that diagnosis is made, your doctor will order a comprehensive dry eye evaluation in order to identify the root cause of your condition, so that a custom treatment plan can be developed for you.
What the Keratograph shows
Images, measurements and videos of the tear film and glands
Having the right diagnostic technology is the key to proper treatment and management of dry eye syndrome. Some practices in our network use the Oculus Keratograph 5M, a dry eye imaging device that runs a tear report your doctor can show you: the images, measurements and videos that break dry eye syndrome down into its individual components and show exactly where your condition comes from.
Description of the device drawn from the manufacturer's public product information. Every office is different; ask which tests yours offers.
What to Expect
Per the manufacturer's description, the imaging is quick and non-contact: you rest your chin on the instrument and look at a target while it captures the images.
- Where it is doneIn the office, by an eye care professional.
- Contact with the eyeNone. The instrument photographs and measures the eye from a short distance.
- What is measuredThe tear film and the eyelid oil glands, among other components of the ocular surface.
- What you getA report your doctor walks through with you, with the images, measurements and videos.
- What comes nextA custom treatment plan aimed at the cause the imaging identified.
The Home Care a Plan Usually Starts With
Eye Drops
Artificial tears for everyday comfort, whatever else your plan includes.
Lid Cleansers
Daily lid hygiene that supports a calmer lid margin.
Dry Eye Rescue Tip
Bring what you already use
Bring the drops, masks and cleansers you use to the visit. Seeing what you have tried, alongside the imaging, helps your doctor decide what to change and what to keep.
Find a Provider Who Offers Keratograph Imaging
Keratograph dry eye analysis is available only through an eye care professional. Dry Eye Rescue works with a network of over 5,000 providers. Use the Doctor Locator to find one near you.
Related guides
More tests, and what a dry eye exam covers.
Testing
Dry Eye Exams and Testing
What a workup looks for, the tests you might meet, and what to ask about.
Read the guide
Testing
InflammaDry Rapid Testing
A quick in-office tear test for MMP-9, a marker of inflammation, with results in about 10 minutes.
Read the guide
Testing
Tear Osmolarity Testing
An objective number for how salty your tears are, and why it helps.
Read the guide
In office
Dry Eye Testing and In-Office Treatments
Every test and in-office treatment offered across our network.
Read the guideFrequently asked questions
What is the Keratograph?
The Oculus Keratograph 5M is an in-office dry eye imaging device. It photographs and measures the tear film and eyelid oil glands and produces a report with images, measurements and videos.
Why do I need imaging if I already know my eyes are dry?
Dry eye has more than one cause. The imaging breaks the condition down into its individual components and shows where yours comes from, so treatment can target the cause rather than the symptom.
Does the test touch my eye?
No. The manufacturer describes it as a non-contact imaging exam; you rest your chin on the instrument and look at a target.
What happens before the imaging?
Your doctor takes a detailed history and performs a thorough external eye evaluation first, then orders the comprehensive dry eye evaluation.
What happens after?
Your doctor walks you through the report and develops a custom treatment plan for you.
Where can I get a Keratograph analysis?
Through an eye care professional whose office has the device. Use the Dry Eye Rescue Doctor Locator to find a provider near you.
This page is educational and does not replace medical advice from your eye care professional. The test described here is performed in an office by a licensed professional, individual results vary, and only a doctor can determine whether it is appropriate for you. Talk with your provider about intended use, candidacy and risks. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Dry Eye Rescue connects patients with independent eye care professionals who may offer this test and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any device manufacturer. Keratograph is a trademark of OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH. Product and brand names referenced on this site are trademarks of their respective owners.
