If you don’t blink, your eyes will dry out and you could end up with permanent eye damage. In addition, if you don’t blink, you’ll also experience a decrease in your vision. Each time your eye moves from an area of high brightness to an area of low brightness, the muscle responsible for blinking pulls on the eyeball. If you don’t blink enough, this can cause permanent damage to the eyeball’s muscle and nerve endings.
If you are awake for several hours without blinking, your eyes can become dry and sore.
Dry eye syndrome, or dry eye, is a common condition in which the tears that lubricate your eyes don’t flow well. Causes of dry eye include allergies, wearing contact lenses too long, and having an autoimmune disease called Sjögren’s syndrome.
You can take steps to avoid or manage dry eyes.
- Wear sunglasses or a hat to protect your eyes from the sun and glare.
- Use a tear substitute that’s formulated for dry eyes.
- Use a cold compress to numb your eyes and help you blink.
- Use artificial tears to keep your eyes moist.
If you’ve been wearing glasses for years, you may know that blinking is one of the most important parts of vision. But what happens when you blink too much? Here’s everything you need to know about how blinking affects your eyes.
Blinking can cause dry eyes because it keeps the tear film on your eye surface moist. This can lead to blurry vision and damage your eyes’ health.
Blinking is usually healthy and normal, but if you blink excessively, it can be a sign that something is wrong.
When to worry?
1. Blinking is too frequent
Blinking too frequently means you’re having problems with your tear film. If this happens, you might have dry eye syndrome. Dry eye is the condition in which your eyes feel dry or irritated. This condition may result in burning, itching, and/or irritation.
2. Blinking is not normal
If your eyes are feeling dry, it could be a sign that you’re having an allergic reaction. The more often your eyes are irritated, the more likely you are to have allergic eye disease.
3. Blinking is too long
If your eyes are irritated, it could be a sign that you have blepharitis, which is an inflammation of the eyelids. Blinking too often can keep your eyelids closed and the tears from coming in contact with your eyes.
4. Blinking is too short
This can be a sign that your eyes are watering. When you blink too quickly, you can dry your eyes out too quickly, which can lead to a condition called keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS).
5. Blinking during sleep
This is a common problem for people who wear contact lenses. Many people sleep with their eyes closed. If you blink during sleep, you might lose your contact lenses.
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor.
How do your eyes know when to blink?
Blinking is one of the most basic functions of the human body. It helps us stay alert, cool and dry. However, blinking isn’t a conscious function. In fact, the brain doesn’t even realize that we’re blinking.
There are two types of blinking: reflexive blinking and voluntary blinking. Reflexive blinking happens in response to something such as sunlight or bright lights. Voluntary blinking is done on purpose.
Both types of blinking help our eyes. Reflexive blinking keeps our eyes from drying out. When we have something in front of us that’s too bright, such as a TV or a computer screen, our eyes can be strained because they’re forced to work harder to adjust. To protect ourselves, we reflexively blink to prevent dryness. The same goes for sunlight, which is harmful to our eyes.
When we’re having trouble focusing, our pupils dilate and our eyes get tired. Blinking forces our eyes to relax, giving them a rest and restoring clarity.
Voluntary blinking can be helpful in maintaining eye health, as well. When we’re reading, we tend to look down at the page every few minutes, which can cause the muscles around our eyes to tense up. To avoid that, we tend to blink frequently, which makes the eyes relax.
So if you find yourself staring at the computer screen all day long, take a break and blink. It’ll make a big difference.
It is important to blink regularly in order to keep your eyes healthy and lubricated. Not blinking can cause a number of problems, such as dry eyes, blurred vision, and even eye fatigue. So make sure to blink often, especially when you’re working on the computer or reading a book.
