Bedside Blink Test Signals Hours Remaining in End-of-Life Care
A study of 112 hospice patients with advanced cancer found that absence of the corneal reflex strongly predicts death within 24 hours (about 70.7% mortality within 24 hours for those with no reflex, and higher risk in deeply sedated patients), suggesting the reflex can aid bedside prognosis when used with existing tools like the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale; however, it is not definitive and requires broader validation across settings.