乾眼症可分為兩種類型，淚液缺乏型以及易蒸型。易蒸發型乾眼症常與淚液脂肪層的異常變化有關，淚液脂肪層亦與淚液的穩定度有密切的關係。淚液鏡可以觀察淚液脂肪層類型，也可以用非侵入性的方法測量淚液的穩定度，對於易蒸發型乾眼症的診斷極有助益。本研究使用Keeler Tearscope-plus觀察70位乾眼症患者或配戴隱形眼鏡者之淚液脂方層類型及非使入性淚浪層崩解時間（non-invasive break-up time，簡稱NIBUT），以評估淚液的穩定度。淚液的體積則以Schirmer氏基礎淚液測驗，和中“淚液柱高度表示。所有的患者，皆依乾眼症候的詢問及隱形眼鏡配戴史的調查，分為不同組群，以做比較。脂肪層類型amorphous型具有最長的NIBUT，淚液穩定度最穩定。abnormal colored fringes型具有最短的NIBUT，淚液穩定度最不穩定。脂肪層類型與淚液穩定度具有密切關係。未配戴隱形眼鏡組有症狀群有較多的abnormal colored fringes型，及較低的Schirmer氏基礎淚液測驗平均值。配戴隱形眼鏡組有症狀群的medium NIBUT平均值較低，垂直位置淚液層崩解點及surface類淚液層崩解點種類較常見。淚液鏡是一種實用的乾眼症診斷工具，且可供配戴隱形眼鏡者參考，值得學者進一步研究與眼科醫師應用於臨床。
Dry eye can be classified into two types, tear- deficient type and evaporative type. Evaporative dry eye is usually related to lipid layer abnormalities. The tearscope is able to observe lipid layer patterns, and measure. tear film stability non-invasively. It is very helpful to diagnose evaporative dry eye. Under the investigation of this article, the lipid layer pattern and the non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT) of 70 dry eye patients or contact lens wearers were observed by Keeler Tearscope-plus in order to evaluate tear film stability. Schirmer's basic test and central tear prism height represent tear volume estimation. All of the patients were divided into different groups and subgroups according to the investigation of their dry eye questionnaire and contact lens wearing history in order to make the differences between them. The amorphous lipid layer pattern had the longest NIBUT, therefore, the greatest tear film stability. The abnormal colored fringes pattern had the shortest NIBUT, therefore, the poorest tear film stability. Lipid layer pattern was very much related to tear film stability. For the nonlens-wearing group, the symptomatic subgroup showed a significantly greater incidence of abnormal colored fringes pattern and a lower Schirmer's basic test average value: For the lens-wearing group, the symptomatic subgroup showed a significantly lower medium NIBUT average value and significantly greater incidences of vertical quadrants of breakup position and surface breakup type. Keeler Tearscope-plus is one kind of valuable diagnostic tools of dry eye. It can also provide referential information for contact lens wearers. Further research should be done to investigate this instrument and for ophthalmologists to apply it to clinical practice.
