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Fluorescein staining

Eye Care ≈ ¥20-50 (≈ $3-7) 15 min

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Description

Estimated cost for Fluorescein staining at general public hospitals in China is about ¥15-40, and at Grade 3A hospitals about ¥20-50, varying by hospital tier and region.

Main Uses

Corneal fluorescein staining is primarily used to detect and assess the severity, location, and pattern of corneal epithelial defects. Key clinical applications include: evaluating tear film stability and ocular surface health in dry eye syndrome; diagnosing corneal injuries (abrasions, foreign body removal sites); monitoring healing after refractive surgery (e.g., LASIK, SMILE); identifying infectious or inflammatory keratopathies (e.g., dendritic ulcers in herpes simplex); and assessing neurotrophic or exposure-related epithelial breakdown.

Normal Range

No staining (i.e., negative result) is normal: intact corneal epithelium shows no uptake of sodium fluorescein dye under cobalt-blue light. A normal test reveals a smooth, continuous, non-fluorescent corneal surface with no punctate, dendritic, geographic, or diffuse staining patterns.

Low Values - Possible Causes

Low or absent staining is not clinically pathological—it reflects epithelial integrity. However, 'low staining' in practice may indicate: (1) inadequate dye application or rinsing; (2) insufficient cobalt-blue illumination or improper filter use; (3) examiner error (e.g., misinterpretation of subtle early defects); (4) overly rapid tear turnover washing away dye before observation; (5) use of outdated or degraded fluorescein strips/solution.

High Values - Possible Causes

Abnormal (positive) staining indicates epithelial disruption and includes: (1) dry eye disease (aqueous-deficient or evaporative); (2) corneal abrasion or trauma; (3) infectious keratitis (bacterial, viral e.g., HSV dendritic ulcers, fungal); (4) neurotrophic keratopathy; (5) exposure keratopathy (e.g., lagophthalmos, facial nerve palsy).

corneal fluorescein staining ocular surface assessment corneal epithelial defect

≈ ¥20-50

≈ $3-7

Duration: 15 min