Not Just The Window To The World – Eyes Are Awesome For 25 Wondrous Reasons
Eyesight is something that many of us take for granted. We have no idea how hard it would be to maneuver our way through life without it. Eyes are our window to the world, and without them, we would be lost. Being as critical to life as they are, we give very little thought to how they work and what they do. Here are some mechanical, emotional and just downright fun facts about how phenomenal the eyes are and how they shape our life experiences.
The miracle of how they work…
Eyes are one of the quickest healing parts of the body. It takes only 48 hours for a corneal scratch to heal itself.
The eyes only require about half of the brain’s attention to transmit signals.
Out of any muscle in the body, the muscles in your eye are the most active.
That old saying, “You see with your eyes not your hands isn’t true”. You see with your brain, not your eyes. They feed images to the brain to interpret.
The eyes see things upside down, and backward, the brain reinterprets it right side up.
There are over 200 million working parts that make up the eye.
Did you know?….Fun facts!
You can have two different colored eyes. The condition may be rare, but it is called heterochromia.
Your eyes maintain the same size from birth until the end of life.
Eyes begin to form about two weeks after conception.
Although the rest of you needs sleep, the eye can function at 100% without resting.
The average person blinks over 23,040 times in a 24-hour period.
The Mayans went to great lengths to make their children cross-eyed. In their culture, it was a sign of attractiveness.
Retinal scans have 256 characteristics; fingerprints have only 40.
Over the span of the average lifetime, your eyes will witness over 24 million images.
Facts versus Myths
Fact: Tying your tie too tightly may lead to glaucoma.
Fact: Everyone has blue eyes; it is just that those who exhibit brown color have an additional layer. If removed by laser, you can permanently have blue eyes.
Myth: Reading in the dark does not damage your eyes.
Fact: Every blue eyed person shares a common ancestor.
Myth: You can sneeze with your eyes open.
How they shape life circumstances and emotions
Newborns may make the sounds of crying, but can’t produce tears until about six months of age.
80% of all the memories that we have originate from things we see.
When you engage in conversation, you blink more.
The pupil expands as much as 45% more when you are looking at someone you love.
The average length of time that you spend meeting a stranger is four seconds. That is exactly how long it takes for you to distinguish the color of a stranger’s eyes.
When people are clinically depressed, they see colors duller because they have a harder time seeing a contrast.
Village Eyecare – Your Chicago VSP Vision Provider
Who knew that eyes were so astounding? That is why it is imperative that you treat them with the respect they deserve by getting the preventative care necessary to keep them healthy for a lifetime. Village Eyecare, a VSP Vision Provider, knows how important it is to do regular screening and eye care health and strives to keep you seeing the world around you through the clearest window possible. Make an appointment with any of our three locations in Chicago and keep you windows to the world in top shape.
