Tear film break-up time evaluation by real-time wavefront aberrometry in normal subjects

Purpose To evaluate tear break-up time (BUT) with repeated higher order wavefront aberrations (HOA) measurements. Methods Wavefront aberrations up to the sixth order for a 4-mm pupil were measured in 10 subjects using the IRX3 (Imagine Eyes, Orsay, France) Hartmann-Shack (H-S) aberrometer. The aberrometry was performed once every second for up to 20 seconds. HOA measurements were performed 3 times in a row. HOAvariations were compared with the BUT by the conventional fluorescein method (CFM). Results In 9 patients out of 10 there was an excellent correlation between the HOA variation and the BUT recorded by the CFM. There was also an excellent reproducibility of the HOA measurements in all patients. Conclusion H-S aberrometry can be used in our daily practice for an objective and reproducible assessment of the BUT.