Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Quantitative videographic analysis of blink patterns of newscasters

  • Cornea
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

To determine the blink patterns of newscasters.

Methods

The blink patterns of 39 professional newscasters (24 Japanese and 19 non-Japanese, 19 men and 20 women, mean age: 34.5 ± 6.5 years) were analyzed by a blink analyzer in this observational case series. Sixty-four normal Japanese volunteers (35 men and 29 women, mean age: 31.2 ± 7.6 years) were used as lay normal controls.

Results

The maximum, mean, and coefficient of variation (CV) of interblinking time (IBT: the time between one blink and the next) in newscasters were 2.36 ± 0.90 s (P < 0.0005), 0.95 ± 0.27 s (P < 0.0005), and 0.76 ± 0.25 (P < 0.0005), respectively, while those of the controls were 8.87 ± 3.96 s, 4.01 ± 2.05 s, and 0.55 ± 0.21, respectively. The maximum, mean, and CV of the blinking time (BT: the length of time for each blink) of newscasters were 0.71 ± 0.43 s (P < 0.0005), 0.29 ± 0.11 s (P < 0.0005), and 0.55 ± 0.25 (P < 0.0005), respectively. The values were longer when compared with normal controls, which were also significantly different, 0.35 ± 0.12 s, 0.20 ± 0.04 s and 0.23 ± 0.09, respectively.

Conclusions

The six blink-related factors varied between newscasters and normal controls. Newscasters blink more often with greater irregularity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mathers WD, Lane JA, Zimmerman MB (1996) Tear film changes associated with normal aging. Cornea 15:229–234 doi:10.1097/00003226–199605000–00001

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Nakamori K, Odawara M, Nakajima T, Mizutani T, Tsubota K (1997) Blinking is controlled primarily by ocular surface conditions. Am J Ophthalmol 124:24–30

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Tsubota K, Nakamori K (1995) Effects of ocular surface area and blink rate on tear dynamics. Arch Ophthalmol 113:155–158

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tsubota K, Hata S, Okusawa Y, Egami F, Ohtsuki T, Nakamori K (1996) Quantitative videographic analysis of blinking in normal subjects and patients with dry eye. Arch Ophthalmol 114:715–720

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Tsubota K, Nakamori K (1993) Dry eyes and video display terminals. N Engl J Med 328:584 doi:10.1056/NEJM199302253280817

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mackintosh JH, Kumar R, Kitamura T (1983) Blink rate in psychiatric illness. Br J Psychiatry 143:55–57

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sandyk R (1990) The significance of eye blink rate in parkinsonism: a hypothesis. Int J Neurosci 51:99–103 doi:10.3109/00207459009000515

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Stern JA, Walrath LC, Goldstein R (1984) The endogenous eyeblink. Psychophysiology 21:22–33 doi:10.1111/j.1469–8986.1984.tb02312.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. MacLean WE Jr, Lewis MH, Bryson-Brockmann WA, Ellis DN, Arendt RE, Baumeister AA (1985) Blink rate and stereotyped behavior: evidence for dopamine involvement. Biol Psychiatry 20:1321–1325 doi:10.1016/0006–3223(85)90117–9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Tsubota K, Egami F, Ohtsuki T, Shintani M (1999) Abnormal blinking of newscasters. Lancet 354:308 doi:10.1016/S0140–6736(99)02100–5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Blehm C, Vishnu S, Khattak A, Mitra S, Yee RW (2005) Computer vision syndrome: a review. Surv Ophthalmol 50:253–262 doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2005.02.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hagan S, Lory B (1998) Prevalence of dry eye among computer users. Optom Vis Sci 75:712–713 doi:10.1097/00006324–199810000–00014

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. World Health Organization (1987) Visual display terminals and workers’ health. WHO Offset Publ 99:1–206

    Google Scholar 

  14. Acosta MC, Gallar J, Belmonte C (1999) The influence of eye solutions on blinking and ocular comfort at rest and during work at video display terminals. Exp Eye Res 68:663–669 doi:10.1006/exer.1998.0656

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Tsubota K, Toda I, Nakamori K (1996) Poor illumination, VDTs and desiccated eyes. Lancet 347:768–769 doi:10.1016/S0140–6736(96)90122–1

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Yaginuma Y, Yamada H, Nagai H (1990) Study of the relationship between lacrimation and blink in VDT work. Ergonomics 33:799–809 doi:10.1080/00140139008927186

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tsubota K, Hata S, Mori A, Nakamori K, Fujishima H (1997) Decreased blinking in dry saunas. Cornea 16:242–243 doi:10.1097/00003226–199703000–00022

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mori A, Oguchi Y, Okusawa Y, Ono M, Fujishima H, Tsubota K (1997) Use of high speed, high-resolution thermography to evaluate the tear film layer. Am J Ophthalmol 124:729–735

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Lemp MA, Baudouin C, Baum J, Dogru M, Foulks GN, Kinoshita S et al (2007) The definition and classification of dry eye disease: Report of the Definition and Classification Subcommittee of the International Dry Eye WorkShop. Ocul Surf 5:75–92

    Google Scholar 

  20. Stevens JR (1978) Eye blink and schizophrenia: psychosis or tardive dyskinesia. Am J Psychiatry 135:223–226

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160–8582, Japan

    Asako Mori, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Eiki Goto & Kazuo Tsubota

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Nihonkoukan Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan

    Asako Mori

  3. Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

    Fuminobu Egami, Katsu Nakamori, Tomohiro Ohtsuki & Katsuyoshi Aikawa

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan

    Masuro Shintani

  5. Department of Ophthalmology, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan

    Eiki Goto

Authors
  1. Asako Mori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fuminobu Egami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Katsu Nakamori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tomohiro Ohtsuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Katsuyoshi Aikawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Masuro Shintani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yukihiro Matsumoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Eiki Goto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Kazuo Tsubota
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuo Tsubota.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mori, A., Egami, F., Nakamori, K. et al. Quantitative videographic analysis of blink patterns of newscasters. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 246, 1449–1453 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-008-0887-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-008-0887-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation