Our eyes are miraculous organs that allow us to experience the breadth and depth of light and color all around us. Here are some facts about eyes that you probably didn’t know about.
- 80% of vision problems around the world are avoidable and in some cases curable.
- Your eyes have and use the most active muscles in your entire body.
- Even if you don’t have anyone in your recent family history with blue or green eyes, this recessive trait can still make an appearance in later generations.
- Heterochromia is when a person is born with two different colored eyes.
- Your eyes weigh .25 ounces each.
- Your eyes have different shaped cells: rod shaped cells that enable you to see shapes and cone shaped cells that help you see color.
- Roughly 39 million people worldwide are blind. Six times that many people have some form of vision problem or vision impairment.
- Newborns can’t produce tears. They can make crying sounds, but don’t actually show evidence of it until tears start to flow between 4-13 weeks.
- Seeing is such an involved process that half the brain is necessary.
- Eyes can heal miraculously fast. For instance, a corneal scratch takes only about 2 days to heal.
- The average blink lasts about 1/10 of a second.
- You blink about 12 times per minute.
- While other parts of the body take a minute to warm up, your eyes are ready to work 24/7.
- Your eyes are about 1 inch across.
- There is a tiny blind spot where the optic nerve attaches. This spot is unnoticeable by your eyes because they work in unison to fill the blind spot.
Arrange an eye appointment
To help maintain proper eye health, it is necessary to have regular eye exams so your doctor can check for potential eye problems. As mentioned, the majority of eye issues are curable. If you are experiencing vision problems, don’t hesitate to contact The Eye Care Institute. You can reach each our team by calling us at (707) 546-9800. We look forward to assisting you!