The Dedicated Ophthalmology Referral Practice

Fluorescin Staining for Corneal Ulcers

The first of two products for this test are Minims Fluorescin drops. These come in individual plastic vials for those who prefer to use a liquid stain. They cost little more than the Fluoret strips and do not run the risk of false positives.

Fluoret strips are paper strips impregnated with the dye. If used as per instruction leaflet, folded and put over a lid to be wetted by tears, they will definitely slightly stain intact cornea if they contact it direct. This can lead to a false diagnosis of an ulcer. We always wet the Fluoret with tap water squeezed out of a good wad of cotton wool and touch the drop of dye on the conjunctiva avoiding direct corneal contact.

Whichever method you use, always flush the cornea and the conjunctival sac really well so that only stain attached to broken epithelium remains. Remember to make use of the blue filter on your ophthalmoscope or illuminate with a Woods lamp if available. Then Fluorescin really fluoresces!