Why can't we stop our eyes from blinking

2021-07-12 2021-07-12T10:23:57Z
رنا السيلاوي
رنا السيلاوي
محرر أخبار - قسم التواصل الاجتماعي

Weather of Arabia - Who among us has never participated in a challenge to keep eyes open for as long as possible? But it's only moments and we lose control, eyes blink again, and one of us loses the challenge!

 

It can be difficult to keep your eyes open for long periods due to the natural instinct that God Almighty has placed in us. But why does this instinct exist? Why do we need to be constantly eyelashes?

 

 

Why do we blink our eyes?

There are two main reasons why we constantly need to blink:

  1. Blinking removes foreign particles that might get stuck under the eyelid or on the surface of the eye, helping the eye to get rid of them.

  2. The movement of blinking moisturizes the surface of the eye, as the eyes need constant hydration to keep the surface smooth, which prevents the occurrence of blurry vision.

 

 

Benefits of blinking eye movement

  • Moisturizing the surface of the eye: moving the eyelid quickly during the blinking process stimulates the secretion of tear fluid and its distribution on the surface of the eye, as the tear fluid consists mostly of water, oil and mucus - to keep the surface of the eye smooth. It also prevents dry eyes that can be bothersome. The dryness of the surface of the eye can lead to scratches in the cornea, which is the protective outer layer of the eye, and this can be very painful, because there are many nerve endings in the cornea.

 

  • Supplying the surface of the eye with oxygen: The tear fluid also provides oxygen to the eye. Because the cornea of the eye must be transparent, blood vessels cannot reach it, but the lacrimal membrane transports oxygen directly to it.

 

  • Bacteria resistance: The tear fluid also contains enzymes that fight bacteria and help prevent eye infections.

 

  • When crying: Blinking plays an important role in emotional times as well. When we cry, our eyes blink to remove tears so that they do not accumulate in the eyes, which may lead to blurred vision.

 

 

How many times does a person blink his eyes?

Blinking is a reflex that occurs involuntarily, but it can also occur involuntarily. The blinking process occurs quickly, as it takes the average person 400 milliseconds to blink or blink their eyes, and most people blink between 10 and 20 times per minute, but there are some circumstances that cause people to blink more or less times.

 

Reasons for increasing or decreasing the number of blinking times:

There are some reasons that may increase or decrease the rate and number of times your eyes blink, and they are:

  • People blink more often than is needed to lubricate the eyes and give the brain a rest.
  • The entry of a foreign body into the eye increases blinking.
  • Allergies, pink eye, and other types of inflammation increase blinking.
  • Involuntary spasms of the eyelid muscle increase blinking.
  • Stress and anxiety increase blinking.
  • When there are vision problems, the eyes blink more because they are naturally trying to correct blurry vision.
  • When there is damage to the facial nerve responsible for closing the eyelid, a person may blink slowly or less frequently.
  • Fatigue and some medications can slowly cause blinking.
  • When you focus on something like watching a movie, you may blink less to sharpen your focus. For example: When reading, people tend to blink at the end of a sentence rather than in the middle.
This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.
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