In-Office Procedures · Diagnostic
InflammaDry: Point-of-Care MMP-9 Test
Detect elevated ocular surface inflammation in minutes from a single tear sample, guiding the decision to initiate anti-inflammatory therapy before damage progresses.
Key points
- Available on the Dry Eye Rescue wholesale platform.
- Detects elevated MMP-9, a marker of ocular surface inflammation, in minutes.
- Runs from a single tear sample with no lab send-out.
- A positive result supports starting anti-inflammatory therapy.
What it does
InflammaDry (Quidel) is a lateral-flow immunoassay that detects matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the tears. A small tear sample is collected from the palpebral conjunctiva with a sampling fleece. After two minutes, the test cassette displays a positive result (pink + blue line) if MMP-9 concentration exceeds the 40 ng/mL threshold, indicating elevated ocular surface inflammation. Negative results show only the blue control line.
MMP-9 is an enzyme secreted by stressed corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells. Elevated levels signal active surface inflammation regardless of whether visible staining is present, making InflammaDry especially valuable for patients whose symptoms exceed what the slit lamp reveals.
Clinical application
- Identify candidates for anti-inflammatory therapy (topical cyclosporine, lifitigrast, corticosteroids) before symptomatic flare becomes structural damage
- Monitor treatment response, converting from positive to negative MMP-9 is an objective endpoint for anti-inflammatory success
- Differentiate inflammatory from non-inflammatory dry eye to guide treatment sequencing
- Used pre- and post-Rinsada to document surface reset
Clinical evidence
- Sambursky et al. (2013), Archives of Ophthalmology, Validation study showing InflammaDry sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 94% compared to ELISA gold standard for MMP-9 detection. PubMed
- Lanza et al. (2016), The Ocular Surface, Comprehensive review of MMP-9 in dry eye: elevated levels correlate with Schirmer score reduction and tear osmolarity increase; InflammaDry clinical agreement of 86% positive and 97% negative compared with clinical assessment for dry eye diagnosis. PMC
- Rinsada ASCRS 2023 data, InflammaDry used as primary efficacy endpoint: >70% reduction in MMP-9 and >40% conversion to negative post-Rinsada rinse, demonstrating real-time utility as a treatment response marker. Rinsada clinical data
- Corneal Physician (2024), Practice review notes InflammaDry as the standard tool for identifying patients who need anti-inflammatory medication when slit lamp exam is benign but symptoms persist. Corneal Physician
How it fits in practice
InflammaDry is most useful in patients with significant symptoms but a relatively quiet slit lamp, the "subclinical inflammation" cohort who are often undertreated. A positive result provides objective justification for adding prescription anti-inflammatory drops, justifies the clinical decision in documented records, and helps patients understand why they need more than lubricating drops. CPT code 83519 or 83520 may apply, check with your billing team.
Manufacturer
Quidel (QuidelOrtho), quidelortho.com
Availability on Dry Eye Rescue
InflammaDry test kits are stocked and available for order on the Dry Eye Rescue wholesale platform. Auto-ship available to ensure you never run out during a busy dry eye clinic day.
Sources are linked inline above. Device descriptions reference FDA clearance status, published peer-reviewed studies, and manufacturer data. Clinical outcomes are not a guarantee of individual results. Review full prescribing information, the IFU, and FDA clearance documentation for each device before use.
