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Why do we have eyelids? |
by Brian Griffin (whyzz writer) >> more about the author
Our eyes are very sensitive and very delicate. They have a very important job of catching all the light from the world around us. They let us see! Eyelids are our eyes protectors!
When there’s a loud noise or when something moves quickly in front of our faces, our eyelids instinctively shut. They put up a shield in front of our eyes and we don’t even have to think about it.
Eyelids also keep our eyes clean! Every few seconds, whether you realize it or not, you blink. This happens so our eyelids can wipe our eyes clean using tears! Tears aren’t just for when people cry. They’re a special liquid that washes away dust, pollen or anything else that may have gotten into our eyes.
When there’s a loud noise or when something moves quickly in front of our faces, our eyelids instinctively shut. They put up a shield in front of our eyes and we don’t even have to think about it.
Eyelids also keep our eyes clean! Every few seconds, whether you realize it or not, you blink. This happens so our eyelids can wipe our eyes clean using tears! Tears aren’t just for when people cry. They’re a special liquid that washes away dust, pollen or anything else that may have gotten into our eyes.
In the Blink of an Eye!
Have you ever had a staring contest? You and a friend stare at each other, trying not to laugh and trying not to blink. How hard is it to keep your eyelids open? How long can you keep them open?
Your eyes might get itchy, and they’ll probably get very dry. You might start to tear up a little because your brain is telling your tear ducts to wash the eye clean. It’s a reflex of our bodies. We can’t help it. So go ahead and blink. It’ll be over in less than a second. Keep in mind, you never want to stop your eyelids from blinking for too long because your eyes can get irritated.
How many times do you blink in a minute? Because you’re thinking about blinking, you might not blink like you normally would. Try asking someone else to count for you. Have them count while you’re talking or watching TV. That way you’re distracted and not focused on your blinking.
A lot of people blink between 16 and 20 times in a minute! That can be 19,200 blinks every day (if you sleep for eight hours with your eyes closed). Thankfully, most of the time, we don’t even notice. Otherwise it would be pretty distracting!
Have you ever had a staring contest? You and a friend stare at each other, trying not to laugh and trying not to blink. How hard is it to keep your eyelids open? How long can you keep them open?
Your eyes might get itchy, and they’ll probably get very dry. You might start to tear up a little because your brain is telling your tear ducts to wash the eye clean. It’s a reflex of our bodies. We can’t help it. So go ahead and blink. It’ll be over in less than a second. Keep in mind, you never want to stop your eyelids from blinking for too long because your eyes can get irritated.
How many times do you blink in a minute? Because you’re thinking about blinking, you might not blink like you normally would. Try asking someone else to count for you. Have them count while you’re talking or watching TV. That way you’re distracted and not focused on your blinking.
A lot of people blink between 16 and 20 times in a minute! That can be 19,200 blinks every day (if you sleep for eight hours with your eyes closed). Thankfully, most of the time, we don’t even notice. Otherwise it would be pretty distracting!