Final answer:
To perform the corneal reflex test, a clinician stimulates the cornea with either an air puff or a cotton applicator, which causes the orbicularis oculi muscle to contract and both eyes blink. It tests the trigeminal nerve's sensory response and the facial nerve's motor response.
Step-by-step explanation:
The corneal reflex test is a clinical examination performed to evaluate the integrity of the reflex arc responsible for protecting the eye. Here is the direct answer to the question: When the right cornea senses a tactile stimulus, the left eye will typically also blink due to the consensual reflex. This protective response involves a few neurological structures and pathways.
During the test, a clinician may use an air puff or a cotton-tipped applicator to gently stimulate the cornea. The sensory component of the reflex travels through the trigeminal nerve, carrying information to the brain stem. Then, the motor response travels through the facial nerve, resulting in the contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle of both eyes, causing them to blink. This is a bilateral response, meaning that stimulation of one eye leads to a blink in both eyes.
It's also noteworthy that if the stimulus is bright light, the sensory component can travel through the optic nerve instead. The corneal reflex test is an essential component of neurological examinations and helps to ascertain the functioning of the trigeminal and facial nerves.