The Straits Eye Centre @ Camden
Camden Medical Centre
1 Orchard Boulevard, #06-07/08 & #12-04
Singapore 248649
- Nearest MRT
- Orchard Boulevard (TE13)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
Fluorescein Eye Stain
An orange dye and a blue light that show scratches and dry-eye damage on the eye. Quick, and it does not hurt.
- Senior Consultant Eye Surgeons
- 50+ combined years in ophthalmology
- Seven clinics in six locations islandwide
Camden (Orchard)Joo ChiatClementiBedokToa PayohJurong
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What a fluorescein eye stain is
A fluorescein eye stain test, also called corneal staining, uses an orange dye and a blue light to show the surface of the eye.
The dye coats the cornea, the clear front of the eye, and collects wherever its surface is broken — a scratch, or the tiny breaks a dry eye can cause. Under a blue light those spots glow yellow-green.
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Ordinary light: a scratch is hard to see
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Blue light: the dye makes it glow
How a fluorescein eye stain is done
A minute or two, at the slit lamp.
- Contact lenses come out first.
- A paper strip with the dye is touched to the inside of your lower lid, or a drop is used.
- You blink a few times to spread it over the eye.
- The eye is looked at under a blue light, usually at the slit lamp.
The dye may sting for a moment. Nothing else touches the eye.
What the stain shows
The surface of the eye, which ordinary light shows poorly.
- A scratched cornea (a corneal abrasion), often after something has caught the eye.
- Something stuck in the eye, such as a speck of grit or an eyelash.
- Dry-eye damage, tiny breaks where the surface is not kept wet.
- How long the tear film lasts after a blink before it breaks up, the tear break-up time used in checking for dry eye.
What a finding means is for your eye doctor to explain.
After the stain
The colour washes out with your tears.
- Your tears may look yellow for a while, and can mark a tissue or clothing.
- Leave soft contact lenses out until your tears run clear, usually within an hour.
- You can usually drive afterwards. The dye does not blur vision or widen the pupil.
Eye sore, watery or gritty? Tell our friendly staff what you have noticed and they will arrange the right appointment.
Not the same as fluorescein angiography
The two share a dye and a name, but they are different tests.
Fluorescein angiography injects the dye into a vein and photographs the blood vessels at the back of the eye. A fluorescein eye stain is a drop on the surface only.
Fluorescein Eye Stain Cost in Singapore
A fluorescein eye stain is done during an eye consultation, as required. These are our consultation fees, with an eye specialist or a Primary Eye Care Doctor.
| Consultation | Price |
|---|---|
| With a Senior Eye Specialist · Camden (Orchard) and Parkway East (Joo Chiat) | |
| First consultation | $174.40 |
| Follow-up consultation | $119.90 |
| With a Senior Eye Specialist · Bedok, Clementi, Toa Payoh and Jurong | |
| First consultation | $130.80 |
| Follow-up consultation | $98.10 |
| With a Primary Eye Care Doctor · Bedok, Clementi, Toa Payoh and Jurong | |
| First consultation | $76.30 |
| Follow-up consultation | $54.50 |
All fees shown are nett. Any tests you need are decided at your consultation.
The same dye is used with the contact method of the eye pressure test.
Where can I do a Fluorescein Eye Stain in Singapore?
Seven clinics, at six addresses. The consultation fee depends on the clinic, as the table above shows.
The Straits Eye and Myopia Clinic @ Camden
Camden Medical Centre
1 Orchard Boulevard, #12-04
Singapore 248649
- Nearest MRT
- Orchard Boulevard (TE13)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
The Straits Eye Centre for Kids & Adults @ Parkway East
Parkway East Medical Centre
319 Joo Chiat Place, #03-03
Singapore 427989
- Nearest MRT
- Eunos (EW7)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
The Straits Eye Community Clinic @ Clementi
Blk 443 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-69
Singapore 120443
In Clementi New Town Centre
- Nearest MRT
- Clementi (EW23)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
The Straits Eye Community Clinic @ Bedok
211 New Upper Changi Rd, #01-743
Singapore 460211
In Bedok New Town Centre
- Nearest MRT
- Bedok (EW5)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
The Straits Eye Community Clinic @ Toa Payoh
Blk 185 Toa Payoh Central, #01-320
Singapore 310185
- Nearest MRT
- Toa Payoh (NS19)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
The Straits Eye Community Clinic @ Jurong
21 Jurong Gateway Rd, #02-07
Singapore 608546
In CPF Jurong Office Building
- Nearest MRT
- Jurong East (EW24/NS1)
- Directions
- Open in Maps
Have your eye checked
Send us a message with what you have noticed and a time that suits, and our staff will arrange the appointment.
Common questions
How is a scratched cornea checked?
With a fluorescein eye stain. The dye collects in the scratch, which glows yellow-green under a blue light, so its size and place can be seen. The eye is also checked for anything still in it.
What does a positive fluorescein stain mean?
That the dye has collected somewhere on the surface, such as a scratch, tiny breaks from a dry eye, or a spot where something has rubbed. In a normal result the dye stays in the tears and nothing glows. Your eye doctor explains what a finding means for your eye.
Is a fluorescein eye stain safe?
Yes. It is a drop on the surface of the eye only. The dye may sting for a moment and can briefly mark skin or clothing. Tell the doctor if you have reacted to eye drops before.
Does a fluorescein eye stain hurt?
No. The dye may sting for a moment, and only a small paper strip touches the eye.
How long does the yellow colour last?
The dye washes out with your tears, usually within an hour. Until then your tears may look yellow and can mark a tissue or clothing.
Does fluorescein dilate your eyes?
No. It does not widen the pupil or blur your vision. Dilation uses different drops, covered under eye dilation.
Can I drive after a fluorescein eye stain?
Usually, yes. The dye does not blur vision or widen the pupil. If dilating drops were also used, wait until your vision is clear.
Can I wear contact lenses after a fluorescein stain?
Leave them out until your tears run clear, usually within an hour. Soft lenses can take up the dye.
What are the yellow drops used in an eye pressure test?
Usually fluorescein, often with a numbing drop, used with the contact method of the eye pressure test so the probe can be seen against the cornea.
Is a fluorescein eye stain the same as fluorescein angiography?
No. Angiography uses the same dye injected into a vein, to photograph the blood vessels at the back of the eye. A fluorescein eye stain is a drop on the surface only.
How much is a fluorescein eye stain?
It is done during an eye consultation, as required. A first consultation is $174.40 nett at Camden and Parkway East, and $130.80 nett at our community clinics in Bedok, Clementi, Toa Payoh and Jurong, where a first consultation with a Primary Eye Care Doctor is $76.30 nett.