I see colors: using vital dyes in diagnosing ophthalmic disease.

Vital dyes have been used for over a hundred years to assist ophthalmic practitioners in diagnosing their patients' problems. Patients don't always tolerate the commercial products, usually due to the preservatives, and may need a compounded preparation. Some dyes are not commercially available, such as the brilliant blue G, and compounders who specialize in high-risk compounded sterile preparations are needed to meet these needs of the ophthalmologists. This article discusses some of these staining agents, including their properties.