Your eyes are some of the most complex, sensitive organs in your body. Have you ever thought about how your eyes actually work though? Today, your optometrist shares some fun facts you may not know about your eyes.
Sharks and Humans Have Something in Common
The structure and tissues of a shark’s eyes are similar to that of a human’s. This is why shark corneas can be used as an alternative for human corneal transplants.
You Blink Roughly 15,000 Times a Day
The muscles controlling your eye movements are some of the most active in your body, which explains the idiom “in the blink of an eye.” This is also the reason behind your blinking average rate of 17 times per minute.
Newborns Don’t Produce Tears
Despite the constant crying and wailing, newborns actually do not produce tears. It’s only after they reach their 4th-13th weeks that tears start to flow from their eyes. This is one of the things your optometrist checks during a baby’s baseline eye exam.
All Blue-Eyed Individuals Share a Common Ancestor
Originally, all humans had brown eyes. It was only six to ten thousand years ago that a genetic mutation, the OCA2 gene, resulted in blue eyes. All blue-eyed individuals trace their roots back to a common ancestor.
One Eye Can Have a Different Color Than the Other
Heterochromia iridis is a condition in which a person’s eye colors don’t match. For example, your right eye may be blue, while the left one is green.
To learn more facts about your eyes, or to learn about our high-quality selection of eyeglasses and contact lenses, call us at (410) 600-3173. We serve Westminster, Marriottsville and nearby Maryland areas.