The secrets behind your blink

Monday, 27 February 2023 by Vision Direct

In the blink of an eye, you can help keep your eyes hydrated and debris-free. But it can also give the game away to your innermost thoughts, feelings and even intentions. To find out just how much people can tell from your peepers, we created a way for you to measure how much you’re blinking. Want to know what a low blink count means for you, though? Well, read on to learn what secrets your eyes are unconsciously telling the world.

Focused on focusing

Man focusing on computer screen

When you’re focused on something, like a big project at work or looking for a free parking spot in a crowded place, your blinking rate can decrease significantly. This happens because all your cognitive ability is focused on the task at hand and the need to blink falls to the wayside. In fact, your blink rate can shrink down to 4 times per minute when your mind is set on something. This can have a major impact on your overall eye health and can even negatively impact the results of what you’re concentrating so hard on.

Take the classic Western film The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, for example. The iconic shootout contains nine blinks between the three men in the short scene. Blondie, who is played by Clint Eastwood, blinked more times than the others suggesting that he is most confident in his abilities. On the other hand, Angel Eyes, who eventually lost the shootout and ultimately died, blinked the least. Perhaps, if Angel Eyes had blinked a little more, he would have gotten his hands on the buried gold in the end. So, if you want to succeed in your endeavours, don’t forget to blink!

Too busy lying to blink

Having laser focus isn’t the only time your blinking patterns change. When you’re telling fibs, you're blinking rate will also significantly decrease. This happens because the increased cognitive load means your brain pays less attention to eye blink rate, which is why liars will blink a lot after they’ve told a lie. Take Bill Clinton’s infamous six-minute speech as a prime example. He blinked straight after saying vitally important words such as "sexual", "relations", "Lewinsky" and "never". The way he punctuated his lies with a stress-relieving blink shows that his pre-occupation was getting his lie out convincingly. Busted!

Couple looking into each other's eyes

Love eyes

If you’re on a date with someone you really like but want to play it cool, then you’ll want to pay attention to your blinking rate. Your blink rate is an excellent indicator of mental arousal and can highlight feelings such as nervousness, excitement and even boredom. This knowledge can also be handy to know if your date is into you or not. Unfortunately, if your date is blinking a lot and backing that up with other body language cues like minimal eye contact and closed posture, a budding romance might not be in your future.

How to keep your eyes healthy

If you’re wondering, “what can damage your eyesight?”, well the answer is a “lot of things actually”. The situations you encounter on a day-to-day basis can put a lot of stress on your dear old eyes. We’ve gathered some tips to keep your eyes happy and healthy:

  1. Blink more
    Staring at a screen can be rough on your eyes, so much so, that studies suggest that the average person blinks 70% less when looking at a device. Try and make a conscious effort to blink more frequently to keep them hydrated. On the other hand, excessive blinking can be just as bad for your eye health. Consult a professional if you’re concerned about your eye health.
  2. Make sure you get enough sleep
    Fatigue can make your eyes sore, irritated, red and bloodshot which can be unpleasant. Make sure you aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
  3. Keep hydrated
    Water is essential to keeping your eyes (and the rest of your body) healthy. Dehydration can lead to dry, irritated eyes so make sure you’re hitting at least 1.2 litres of water a day.
  4. Provide proper care when wearing contact lenses
    If your eyes get dry and painful when wearing contact lenses, carry around eye drops that are compatible with your contact lenses with you to keep your eyes feeling fresh when you’re on the go.

Maintaining good eye care is important to the overall health of your eyes, which you’ll want to keep in mind when you’re concentrating on something important or fluttering your eyes at your loved one. At Vision Direct, we supply contact lenses online with minimal hassle so you can focus on what matters most to you, with clear, comfortable eyesight.

please wait