VARIATION IN BLINK RATE ASSOCIATED WITH CONTACT LENS WEAR AND TASK DIFFICULTY

Abstract

Using an electromyographic telemetry system on twenty-four female subjects, blink frequencies were determined before contact lens application and at various times after the lenses were applied. Statistical analysis of the data suggested the existence of an inverse relationship between blink rate and the degree of difficulty of the visual task. Analysis also indicated that for wearers blink rates increased over a given time period regardless of the degree of difficulty of the visual task with the final rate for wearers higher than non-wearers.