The Urge to Blink and Why Do We Need to Do It?

Blinking is an essential tool when it comes to eye health and proper eye function. On average adults usually blink around ten and twenty times per minute, as each blink lasts only a tenth of a second. We blink all the time, without even noticing it sometimes. When you start becoming more aware of how often you are blinking then the thoughts will translate the action as a subconscious habit, which brings great benefits to your eyes.


The eyes need oxygen 


Blinking nourishes the cells and ensures that the eyes are provided the oxygen they need. Tears are in fact full of protein, but oxygen is something they need as well. Blinking is something that often helps when it comes to imparting oxygen to the eyes and moisturizing the the surface of the eye. If the eyes do not receive the oxygen they need, they would eventually not manage to stay hydrated and will fail producing tears that are essential to keep the eyes clean of irritants.


Blink more = Focus More 


You may have already noticed that when you are focusing hard on something you tend to blink much less than usual and the eyes get tired much faster and easier. When a person concentrates on something such as a book or a game for example, they tend to blink as little as only around three or four times per minute. This is far below the healthy and recommended number of blinks that the eyes require in order to moisturize and work properly. 

A good way to prevent your eyes from drying out, is to try and practice blinking more. When you notice that you are not blinking as much as you are supposed to, put it on your mind to blink more consciously, especially when performing activities that require a high level of concentration. Doing this and reminding yourself to take it into consideration will help you creative a habit it in the future and you won’t need to remind yourself to do it all the time.



Keeping the eyes clean


When we blink, the eyelids spread fresh layers of tears across the surface of the eyes and in this way, it helps keeping them from drying and additionally brushes away tiny particles of dust, dirt and other irritants that may get in the eye and cause discomfort.  The tear coating helps a lot when it comes to clearing one’s vision, when small particles have made their way into your eye, interfering with it and causing problems, improving the image that the retina is receiving. Blinking is a natural way to hydrate the eyes and keep them clean, so when you feel like you have something in your eye that is causing you discomfort, a great natural way to try and get rid of it is by blinking.