As Thanksgiving fast approaches, we are reminded to give thanks for all of the wonderful things in our lives such as our loved ones & our health. As you look upon the joyous gathering of friends and family prior to feasting, take a moment to give thanks for your eyesight as well!
Below are some interesting facts you may not know about the eyes:
1. Your eye muscles are the fastest muscle in your body, hence the phrase “In the blink of an eye.”
2. Your retinas see the world upside down; your brain flips the image around for you.
3. All blue-eyed people are related. The first person with blue eyes was thought to have lived 6000-10,000 years ago. All people before that had brown eyes.
4. One in every 12 males have some degree of ‘color-blindness’.
5. Your eyes can get sunburned. It is called photokeratitis and it can make the corneal epithelium slough off just like your skin peels after a sunburn.
6. 80% of all learning comes through the eyes.
7. Seeing is so important that it takes up more than 50% of the brain’s functionality.
8. If the human eye were a camera, it would have 576 megapixels.
9. The human eye can see approximately 7 million colors.
10. It takes 13 milliseconds for the human eye to process an image.
11. There are about 39 million people in the world who are completely blind.
12. The entire length of all the eyelashes shed by a human in their life is over 98 feet.
13. People generally read 25% slower on a computer screen compared to paper.
14. Newborns cry but do not produce tears.
15. When a person cries and the first drop of tears come from the right eye, it is happiness. If the first drop of tears come from the left eye, it is pain. When you are frustrated, tears come from both eyes simultaneously.
Healthy vision is something that is easily taken for granted. This Thanksgiving, we encourage you to give thanks for your vision by eating a delicious but still nutritious meal, protecting your eyes in the kitchen and schedule your annual eye exam!
Happy Thanksgiving from the doctors & staff at Twin Forks Optometry!
