Importance of Type and Direction of Eyelid Sliding to Mimic Blinking In Vitro for Dry Eye Disease and Contact Lens Research

Key Points

• This research aims to evaluate how the type and direction of eyelid sliding affect friction in ocular tribology under simulated blinking conditions.
• Investigated various eyelid sliding modes, focusing on natural swing motion versus simplified sliding.
• Measured friction coefficients (µk) and repulsive pressures (RP) under different conditions, especially with low-modulus lenses.
• Conducted in vitro experiments to accurately replicate blinking-related friction.
• Natural swing motion resulted in higher friction coefficients (µk) and longer repulsive pressures (RP) compared to simplified sliding modes.
• Effects were significantly pronounced when using low-modulus lenses.
• Accurate replication of sliding direction is crucial for realistic friction modeling in dry eye and contact lens studies.