There are a number of different types of dead eye syndrome.

The first is pure evil, the unego masked abuser, who seriously wants to do harm. It can come with a smirk like a reptile. It's unnerving. Generally it's observed once the abuser is unmasked as they can't be bothered to use the energy. Before that the eyes are lambent and the term for the unmasked eye is scoptophilia. In the first the abuser seduces and hypnotised the target by mirroring the targets own emotions back at them, in the second there is no emotion, it's the amygdala at fault. The abuser has all their higher cortex executive functions and the deadness is when they know you know and they don't care, so they don't bother to even hide it. If they think they have pulled one over on you then you will get dupers delight. A serious smug smile, although in general most abusers don't care even to smile that way. These types of abusers don't feel in the first place. This is them without their mask.

The second type is the brain damaged by nature, drugs and alcohol where micro expressions are flat. Affect is flat, higher mental functioning is suppressed. The eyes are expression are cold and pupils inappropriate. It is as Painter says cortex damaged. The lights are on but no one is home. This can be frightening if you get between the addict and the addiction. This person had or still has the capacity to have feelings and emotions but can't access them. All focus is in on the addiction.

The final type is the super empath or lover in love mode. The eyes will seem to look right through you, they will be large (micro expression large, not size) and they are evaluative and adoring. The mouth is largely smiling and there are soft lines around the eyes. The first type above mimics these eyes or mirrors them back to you. The second type above can't do that the link to their emotion is gone sometimes temporarily and sometimes the damage is permanent.

That's how I explain it to myself. The truth lies in the micro expressions. I hope that helps.

V

Freedom is just another word for nothing left to loose.
V 64, WAW