Blinking rate with connected glasses in non‐dry eye and dry eye anomalies in healthy volunteers

Abstract

AbstractPurposeBlinking rate is an essential physiopathological mechanism aiming to maintain a quality tear film layer for ocular surface. The blinking rate may vary with age, environment, medications, ocular surface conditions or anomalies and individuals. Various studies demonstrated how dry eye the most common ocular surface anomaly affects the blinking rate. As we know dry eye is a common pathology in general population, we included healthy volunteers. Our aim is to study blinking rate with connected glasses in healthy volunteers with dry eye and non‐dry eye anomalies.MethodsIn our study, we selected and included 20 healthy volunteers with 40 eyes (of 25) with signed informed consent, from 10 to 40 yo (mean age 25,5 yo) assessing some of the volunteers may present dry eye anomalies. A signed consent was obtained according to legal regulation. A complete ocular examination was performed including automated NIBUT and Meibography with Lacrydiag (Quantel). The volunteers accepted to wear the connected glasses “Prudensee” (Ellcie Healthy) during one hour in practical day life. Then the collected data were analyzed with an algorithm. The connected glasses integrate an infrared oculometer that measures blinking rate. They also integrate a gyroscope and an accelerometer useful for head speed however mt used in the study.ResultsOf the 20 subjects, 9 were diagnosed with mild to moderate dry eye anomalies. The blinking rate was significantly increased of 36% comparing to the 11 subjects with no ocular surface anomalies. Blinking rate measured was increased statistically significative in the 3 groups of age 10–20 yo, 20–30 yo and 30–40 yo and a marked trend in dry eye subjects.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated an increase in blinking rate in subjects with dry eye anomalies. Further studies with connected glasses are needed to evaluate blinking rate in various anomalies of ocular surface with larger number of subjects.