Corneal reflex

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.

Corneal reflex, also known as the blink reflex, is an automated involuntary blinking of the eyelids elicited by stimulation (such as touching or a foreign body) of the eyeball's cornea. Stimulation should elicit both a direct and consensual response. The evolutionary purpose of this reflex is to protect the eyes from foreign bodies.

The reflex is mediated by:

the nasociliary branch of the ophthalmic branch (V₁) of the 5th Cranial nerve (Trigeminal nerve) sensing the stimulus on the cornea,
and the 7th Cranial nerve (Facial nerve) initiating the motor response.

Use of contact lenses may diminish or abolish this reflex.

The examination of the corneal reflex is a part of some neurological tests in particular the coma exam.