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Purpose:: To determine estrogenic effects on tear production and breakup time in aged, ovariectomized female rats following nine months of estrogen or placebo treatment.

Methods:: Ovariectomy surgery: At 9 months of age, rats underwent ovariectomy or sham surgery. Ovaries were excised from rats in treatment Groups 1 and 2, but left intact in rats in Group 3. Subjects received either 17β-Estradiol or placebo treatment by subcutaneous pellet in a 90-day time release matrix (Innovative Research of America). Tear breakup time: 2 drops of fluorescein were instilled into 1 eye with a micropipette calibrated to 5µl. The eyelids were manually closed 5 times. The time lapse between the last blink and the first randomly distributed dry spot on the cornea using a portable slit lamp was recorded. The process was repeated 3 times for each subject. Modified Schirmer's test: Schirmer's test strips were cut to 1.67 mm (+/-0.01 mm …