Purpose: Spontaneous eye blink activity in the primary eye position and its relationship to age and gender were assessed using digital image processing techniques to quantify blink opening and closing time.
Methods: One hundred-and-eighty healthy volunteers (90 males and 90 females), divided into the age groups 0-3, 4-12, 13-20, 21-40, 41-60 and > or = 60 years old, were evaluated prospectively. They were videotaped digitally in a standard setting and the images were transferred to a personal computer (Macintosh 400) and processed with the iMovie software. Blink opening and closing time were measured at 30 frames/second. The data were then subjected to statistical analysis.
Results: The closing time was significantly longer than the opening time for all ages and both genders. Elderly individuals (> or = 41 years old) and women had significantly longer closing times.
Conclusion: Image processing techniques made possible the observation of differences in spontaneous eye blink opening and closing time in relation to age and gender.