Fluorophotometric measurement of pH of human tears in vivo

PURPOSE. To measure the pH in the precorneal tear film of humans in vivo using a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye, bis-carboxyethyl-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). METHODS. The measurement was initiated by instilling 1 µl of 2 mM BCECF solution into the subject's eye. The pH was calculated by measuring the ratio of fluorescent intensities at two excitation wavelengths (490/430 ratio), which was dependent on pH, but independent of the dye concentration and other variables. The tears of the same subject were then collected and loaded on to a micro pH-meter to ensure the accuracy of the measurement. RESULTS. The mean pH values of 40 eyes from 20 healthy volunteers was 7.50 (SD ± 0.23), which corresponded well with those measured by the micro pH-meter. CONCLUSIONS. The method described was useful in measuring the pH of the precorneal tear film of humans with minimal invasion.