Why Do You Blink?

Introduction  

     Have you ever wondered why you blink and how many times you have blinked? If you want to know, read this website.

HOW Does Blinking Help Your Eyes?

    The most important benefit of blinking is it cleans the surface of your eyes of any debris and washes it out with really fresh tears. 

    You can protect your eyes from foreign objects like dust, dirt, and sand by blinking. Blinking is a normal reflex that protects your eyes from burning out. Blinking protects you from bright lights and objects that are coming towards you.

    Some people blink more frequently if there is something in your eye, such as ingrown eyelashes. Blinking wipes and renews the tear film, the smooth moist layer that covers your eyeball. Your tear film also contains a lot of nutrients and amino acids to nourish the cornea, the clear dome-like structure on the front of your eye. 

Tears and Tear Ducts

   The eye can contain several glands that secrete the components of your tears when you blink. Blinking is necessary for two main reasons, first to clean away dust particles and second to lubricate your eyeball.

       The tear duct is a small opening in the corners of your eyes through which tears drain to flush away the debris.  

Moisturizing Your Eyes 

     Tears and the film formed by the tears are made of water, oil, and muscles and hundreds of other components. One important part of tears is lysosomes, which function like natural antibiotics to protect your eyes. Without blinking, your eyes can get dried up.

Signals in your Brain  

    Another reason that you blink is if your eyes send a confusing signal to your brain. For example, an optical illusion uses your eye to trick your mind into seeing something differently than it really is. This confusion in your brain can cause you to blink.

     Researchers also found out that when people blinked, the mental activity spiked in the center areas of their brain. So when you are blinking, your brain is very active.      

How Do The Eyelids Help You?

    Blinking protects your eyes from blowing particles. Blinking also lessens the exposed part of your eyeball like lowering the shades on the window. 

    When you go outside in a strong wind, sometimes your natural reflex is to lower your eyelids and you will blink more rapidly. 

    Suction is used to take fluid from the tear ducts when you blink. Your eyelids play a significant role here aside from protecting your eyes and keeping the surroundings dark while you sleep. 

     Researchers have concluded that the brain activates your eyelids to give you a short mental break. This break allows you to pay better attention when your eyes open up again. This also prevents you from building a lake on the eye which could blur your vision.

How Many Times Do You Blink?

     Adults blink between 10 and 20 times per minute, usually around 15 or 16 times per minute. There are some circumstances that can make people blink more or less often.

     Blinking is something people all do all the time without even thinking about it. In just one hour, a person will blink about 1,200 times. 

    If there is damage to your facial nerve which is responsible for closing your eyelid, a person may blink more slowly or less often.

     Blinking excessively can be caused by problems with your eyelids or the front surface of the eye. It can also be caused by stress or eye problems. The average blink speed can also be affected by many things like fatigue and the use of medications.       

Why Do Adults Blink More Than Babies?

   Researchers believe that adults blink more than babies because an infant sleeps a lot, and also because an infant's eyes open a lot smaller than adults. Babies blink less than adults because their smaller eyes don't need as much fluid. Blinking helps adjust tears to create a film protection on your eye that nourishes and cleans the surface. 

     Newborns usually blink at a rate of two times per minute. Adults on average blink ten to twenty times per minute. 

What Causes You to Blink More or Less?

    You blink at very predictable times. For example, when you read, you usually blink at the end of a sentence. When you listen to a speaker, you tend to blink between statements and stop blinking when words are spoken. When people watch a video or television show, they tend to blink when the scene stops or changes.

    When people have their eyes focused on an object like reading, sewing, or looking at a computer screen, their blink rate decreases to only 3 or 4 times per minute. This is why a lot of people experience sore or dry red eyes when they are reading or working on a computer. 

Conclusion 

       In conclusion, blinking protects your eyes from foreign objects. Also blinking moisturizes your eyes because of the oils in your tears.  Finally, blinking helps to protect your eyes from bright lights or other objects that are bright so it doesn’t burn or dry out your eyes. 

     Thank you for reading my website about why people blink. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it and learned a lot. 

     Now go take a screen break and start blinking so your eyes don't get sore and dry!