Blinking is not something that we remember to do, we just do it. But why? Why do we blink our eyes?
In reality, the proverbial “blink of an eye” lasts only a tenth of a second, but that’s all the time needed to clear away dust particles and spread lubricating fluids across our eyeballs.
Photo via Kleiman | Evsngelista Eye Center
According to Live Science, every time you blink, your eyelids spread oils and mucous secretions across the surface of the eye to keep your eyeballs from drying out. Blinking also keeps the eyes safe from potentially damaging stimuli, such as bright lights and foreign bodies like dust.
So, why don’t we notice the temporary darkness every two to ten seconds when we’re driving, watching TV or working?
Apparently, scientists have found out that the human brain has a talent for ignoring the momentary blackout. The very act of blinking suppresses activity in several areas of the brain responsible for detecting environmental changes, so that you experience the world as continuous.
Other than that, researchers have guessed that we might subconsciously use blinks as a sort of mental resting point, to briefly shut off visual stimuli and allow us to focus our attention.
It’s far from conclusive, however, research demonstrates that we do enter some sort of altered mental state when we blink, we’re not just doing it to lubricate our eyes.
Wah, how interesting!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
