Spontaneous Eyeblink Activity

Abstract Spontaneous blinking is essential for maintaining a healthy ocular surface and clarity of vision. The spontaneous blink rate (SBR) is believed to reflect a complex interaction between peripheral influences mediated by the eye surface and the central dopaminergic activity. The SBR is thus ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The ocular surface 2011, Vol.9 (1), p.29-41
Main Authors: Cruz, Antonio A.V., MD, Garcia, Denny M., BSc (Physics), Pinto, Carolina T., MD, Cechetti, Sheila P., MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
blinking
Blinking - physiology
dopamine
Eyelids - physiology
Humans
ocular surface
Ophthalmology
spontaneous blinking activity
tear film
Tears - physiology
upper eyelid kinematics
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Summary:Abstract Spontaneous blinking is essential for maintaining a healthy ocular surface and clarity of vision. The spontaneous blink rate (SBR) is believed to reflect a complex interaction between peripheral influences mediated by the eye surface and the central dopaminergic activity. The SBR is thus extremely variable and dependent on a variety of psychological and medical conditions. Many different methods have been employed to measure the SBR and the upper eyelid kinematics during a blink movement. Each has its own merits and drawbacks, and the choice of a specific method should be tailored to the specific needs of the investigation. Although the sequence of muscle events that leads to a blink has been fully described, knowledge about the neural control of spontaneous blinking activity is not complete. The tear film is dynamically modified between blinks, and abnormalities of the blink rate have an obvious influence on the ocular surface.
ISSN:1542-0124
1937-5913
DOI:10.1016/S1542-0124(11)70007-6