The glabellar tap test is used to detect soft neurological (extra pyramidal ) signs in Parkinson's disease
Glabellar tap Reflex is one of primitive reflexes. On gently tapping the glabella (area between the eyebrows) at the rate of about 2 taps per second, the eyes blink (Visual threat to be avoided while tapping). On continuous tapping, after about 10 tappings the eyes stop blinking, which is a normal phenomenon. The afferent in this reflex is Trigeminal nerve and the efferent facial nerve (Orbicularis oculi is the effector organ).
But this cessation of blinking after continuous tapping is lost in parkinson' s disease and as a frontal lobe release phenomenon. This is called MYERSON's sign or Glabellar tap sign.
Its of neurological importance. I don't think it has any direct ophthalmic importance except may be it can be used to test the function of eyelid muscle in some cases of hysteria.
Thanks Murali. I agree with you and the only other possible use could be to evaluate the afferent reflex of the trigeminal and efferent facial nerve.
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