AGE, GENDER, AND TEAR BREAK-UP TIME

We investigated the effect of age and gender on the tear break-up time (TBUT) of 2 groups of normal, asymptomatic subjects [92 Hong Kong-Chi nese (HK-Chinese) and 76 Singapore-Chinese (S-Chinese)] using the conv entional fluorescein-instillation technique. The mean TBUT (+/-SD) is 6.5 (+/-4.0) s for the S-Chinese and 7.8 (+/-2.4) s for the HK-Chinese . The mode was 7.0 s for HK-Chinese and 5.0 s for S-Chinese. About 80% of the subjects of each group have TBUT less than 10 s. The TBUT of b oth groups of Chinese decreases with age. It was found that TBUT was s ignificantly different between the two sexes in the S-Chinese but no e quivalent effect was observed in the HK-Chinese.