Why Do We Blink Our Eyes?

This week on LIVING LOCAL^® TV, we asked…

Why do we blink our eyes?

a. To supply moisture to our eyes
b. To keep foreign matter from entering our eyes
c. To keep our eyes from drying out
d. All of the above

Blinking our eyes automatically supplies two forms of moisture to our eyes, to keep them from drying out, and to keep foreign matter from entering and irritating our eyes. The rims of our eyelids are lined with 20-30 sebaceous, oil-producing glands, which are located between our eyelashes, and are invisible to the naked eye. Blinking automatically coats the eyelid and eyelashes with the lubricant it secretes, to prevent them from drying out.

Another benefit of blinking is to shield the eye from foreign bodies. Our eyelashes attached to the eyelids, serve as dust-catchers, as the blinking reflex causes them automatically to lower, when exposed to harsh elements.

Therefore, D is the correct answer!