Should You Get Tested for Dry Eye?
- Posted on: Aug 15 2026
Dry, irritated eyes after a long day can be easy to brush off. But when the discomfort keeps returning, your vision fluctuates, or contact lenses suddenly feel harder to wear, dry eye testing can help uncover what is happening rather than leaving you guessing.
At Pamel Vision & Laser Group in New York City, board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Gregory J. Pamel brings over 20 years of experience and has participated in clinical research involving dry eye. He works alongside board-certified optometrist Dr. Karen Mathew, who specializes in dry eye treatment and comprehensive eye care.
When Should You Consider Dry Eye Testing?
Dry eye does not always feel like simple dryness. Your eyes may water excessively, feel gritty, burn, become sensitive to light, or develop blurry vision that comes and goes. Contact lenses may also become uncomfortable.
Consider scheduling a dry eye evaluation when these concerns:
- Keep returning or last for an extended period
- Interfere with reading, computer work, or daily activities
- Make contact lenses difficult to tolerate
- Do not improve enough with over-the-counter eye drops
- Seem to be getting progressively worse
What Can Dry Eye Testing Reveal?
Dry eye testing can help your eye doctor understand what affects your tear film and contributes to ongoing discomfort. Testing may evaluate:
- Tear quantity: Measures whether your eyes are producing enough tears.
- Tear quality: Checks how well your tears protect and lubricate the eye.
- Tear evaporation: Determines how quickly tears break up or evaporate.
- Inflammation: Looks for signs of inflammation on the eye’s surface.
- Meibomian gland health: Evaluates the glands that produce the oily layer of your tears.
- Tear film stability: Shows how long your tear film remains intact between blinks.
At Pamel Vision & Laser Group, your evaluation may include tear osmolarity, tear breakup time, Schirmer’s testing, lissamine green staining, interferometry, tear meniscus measurement, lipid secretion assessment, and meibography. The tests used will depend on what your eye doctor needs to assess.
Find Out What Your Eyes Need
Reaching for artificial tears every time your eyes feel uncomfortable may provide temporary relief, but it doesn’t necessarily address the source of the problem. A detailed evaluation gives your eye doctor the information needed to distinguish different forms of dry eye and choose care based on the findings.
Pamel Vision & Laser Group provides comprehensive dry eye testing for people in Manhattan and throughout NYC. Call 212-355-2215 to book your appointment.
Posted in: Dry Eye
