ABSTRACT

Dry Eye Disease (DED) is a common ocular condition that impacts tear film stability and surface health. Accurate diagnosis frequently requires a combination of objective clinical measurements and subjective symptom evaluations. This study investigates the relationship between Tear Meniscus Height (TMH) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores to determine their efficacy in diagnosing DED in patients at the University of Benin Optometry Teaching Clinic. 

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 40 participants, divided into control and investigative groups based on OSDI scoring. TMH was measured using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and DED severity was assessed using the OSDI questionnaire. To assess the relationship between TMH and OSDI scores, statistical analyses were performed using Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U test, and ROC curve analysis.  Findings revealed that 90% of participants were diagnosed with DED based on TMH values, whereas 60% tested positive using OSDI grading. A strong negative correlation (r = -0.891, p < .001) was observed between TMH and OSDI scores, suggesting that higher OSDI scores were associated with lower TMH values. ROC analysis indicated that OSDI had a perfect diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 1.000, p < .001), while TMH showed lower predictive reliability (AUC = 0.066, p > 0.01).This study confirms that TMH is a valuable objective indicator of tear volume. However, it does not always correlate perfectly with subjective symptoms reported via OSDI. The findings highlight the need for a multimodal diagnostic approach that includes both objective and subjective assessments for a more accurate diagnosis of DED. Future studies should include larger sample sizes, additional tear film tests (e.g., TBUT, Schirmer's test), and long-term follow-up to improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical management of DED. 

Keywords: Dry Eye Disease, Tear Meniscus Height, Ocular Surface Disease Index, Tear Film.