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Why Do We Blink?
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Driving in the
rainy season would be a real nuisance, but thanks to
wind-shield wipers, it is not so bad. The wipers
ensure that the driver can see the road clearly and drive
safely. Did you know that our body also has two wipers? They
are even more refined and sophisticated than
the car's wipers - our precious eyelids!
They are just
made up of thin folds of skin and are moved by certain muscles,
but are extremely vital to our eyes. They work on
reflex - meaning we do not need to consciously blink
our eyes, it happens automatically. The nervous system
has automatic responses to certain stimuli - just
like when we touch a hot object, we immediately pull back our
hand. This too is a reflex; it does not involve much thinking.
All reflexes are generally used to protect the body is some
way or the other. |
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The blinking reflex too has many
important functions :
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One of the reasons
why blinking is crucial is due to the eyelashes.
These short, curved hairs attached to each eye help to
catch any dust particles that might be in the air. Have
you noticed, that during the rainy season or a sandstorm, how the
eyelids come together to make the eye small? This is to prevent
foreign, harmful particles from entering the eye. The eyeball is
very sensitive - anything that touches it will
cause discomfort or pain, which is why we need to take good care
of it. Even in bright light, the eyelids close up to avoid any
harm. The eyebrows too have a job - they prevent
raindrops or perspiration from falling into the eyes.
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The more crucial
reason behind blinking is the irrigation of the eyes.
Each lid has about 20-30 tiny sebaceous glands running along the
edge and they have their opening between the lashes. Whenever we
blink or close the lids, these glands are activated and they give
out a liquid or a 'secretion.' This secretion lubricates
the eye lids and lashes and makes sure that they do not
dry out.
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If you have looked
closely at your eyes, you would have seen that the eyeballs are
always a little moist and this is a good sign. When the
eyes are dry, they are quite painful. This moisture or
wetness comes from the tear gland that is present in both eyes.
Every time the eyes blink, the eye lids forces a little fluid to
come out of the tear glands. This fluid keeps the eye
moist and healthy.
Our eyes are probably
the most ingenious and delicate organs of the
entire body and it is wonderful to know how well they are taken care
of. It is said that we blink every 6 seconds, which means that in
the average person's lifetime, he or she will blink about
1/4th of a 100, 000,000 times!! |
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