Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for observing a tear film on a persons or animals eye. The apparatus comprises an infrared sensitive camera that includes a camera lens system and a computer configured to receive data from the camera, process the data using software and represent the processed data on a display. The camera is configured to measure temporal and spatial changes of thermal radiation from a surface of the eye at a frame rate, a spatial resolution, and a thermal sensitivity that allows the dynamics of the tear film to be visualised. Also disclosed is a method of observing a tear film on an eye of a person or an animal using an apparatus, such as that described above, where the method includes the step of viewing the dynamics of the tear film using the apparatus.