Corneal Reflex
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
The corneal reflex is triggered by irritation of the cornea of the eyeball and manifests as closure of the eyelid. It is a highly consistent reflex in normal conditions, and its absence typically indicates organic damage to the nervous system.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
CORNEAL REFLEX is caused by irritation of the cornea of the eyeball and manifests as closure of the eyelid. Irritation of the cornea is produced by careful touching of it with a piece of paper. The afferent arc of the reflex is the superior branch of the trigeminal nerve, the efferent arc is the superior branch of the facial nerve, and the reflex arc is completed in the area of the pons Varolii, in its distal part. The reflex differs in normal conditions by its great constancy, is usually very intense (spastic closure of the eyelid, lacrimation) and should therefore be elicited with great caution. Its disappearance almost always indicates organic damage to the nervous system: an organic process in the trigeminal or facial nerve or an organic process in the brain stem, specifically in the pons Varolii.
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“Corneal Reflex.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/corneal-reflex/