Blocking Your View

Fun Facts About The Eyes

• Your eyes can see approximately 10 million colors. But your brain decides what you actually perceive since color is a subjective mental construct created by the brain.
• The average person blinks about 15–20 times a minute, or about 14,400–19,200 times a day. Since a single blink lasts about 0.1 to 0.4 seconds, that means your eyes are closed for approximately 10% of your waking hours.
• Eyes start developing as early as 3 weeks into pregnancy. By week 27, eyelids typically open and the baby can blink.
• Iris patterns are unique to each individual. Even identical twins have different, distinguishable irises, making them a highly reliable biometric for authentication.
• Blue eyes do not actually contain blue pigment. They appear blue as a result from light scattering.
  
• The eye's lens focuses light onto the retina, creating an image that is inverted. Your brain then reorients the image right-side up. In other words, you see things upside down and your brain flips the image for you.
• Eyes are among the fastest-healing parts of the body, thanks to a rich supply of cells and nerves. But the cornea has no blood vessels which keeps it clear for vision. It gets oxygen directly from the air.
• Under perfect conditions, your eyes can detect candlelight from about 1.6 miles away.
• Eye muscles controlling eye movement are the fastest-reacting muscles in the body. They are also among the strongest for their size — approximately 100 times more powerful than necessary to move the eye.
• Reading in dim light won't ruin your eyes. But it can cause temporary eye strain and headaches.