Blinking is one of those amazing reflexes that our bodies take care of for us, and that we don’t appreciate at all until something goes wrong with the system. On average we blink about ten times per minute, without having to make any conscious effort. And every time we blink we are sterilising and lubricating the eye, and creating a smooth surface across the cornea. The blink sweeps a fresh layer of tears across the eye which achieves all of this, for comfort, the health of the eye, and in smoothing out the cornea, optimum vision.
The most common issue with blinking is a symptom of our modern lifestyles, and lots of computer users come to talk to us because of dry, tired eyes. In staring at the monitor – and nowadays it’s 24/7, as our slavish devotion to both work and facebook keeps us glued to our screens- we forget to blink, and the eyes become uncomfortable. This can make them sore, make you feel tired, and affect your vision. So if you’re a dedicated Computer addict, make the effort to blink more. Look away from the screen at regular intervals, drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated, and blink! It will refresh your eyes and you’ll be amazed at how it alleviates fatigue. Glasses may be better at work as contact lenses that do their job perfectly well under normal circumstances can start to bother you if you work for long periods at the computer.
Other blinking problems occur either due to poor tear quality or malfunctions with the process of blinking. If you have a physical defect in your eye lids or the surrounding muscle it will affect your ability to blink, so the tears won’t be moved across the surface of the eye correctly. If your tear layer is produced in the wrong quantity or in the wrong consistency then it won’t do it’s job properly. The end result of these two problems is the same – sore, dry, and tired eyes. Visit your GP, as treatment is available. This may be simple drops that re-wet the eye and do the job of your tears, or surgery to correct a defect.
So if you’re blinking perfect, then remember to be appreciative of your good fortune. If not, seek help, you don’t want your blink to go on the blink!
