Unique Windows to the Soul…Our Eyes!

Consider the human eye. Not merely simple parts of our anatomy, our eyes are extremely complex. The eye has seven main parts that focus on objects, transmit information to the brain and detect light.

Every human eye is unique…one in a billion! Eyes are so unique, in fact, that as early as the 1950’s, scientists suggested that the patterns of folds and ridges of the iris, the tissue surrounding the pupil of the eye, could be used for identification purposes.

Iris patterning has been observed since ancient times, its characteristics studied by diviners to determine a person’s destiny. The iris, which works like the aperture on a camera, regulating light levels and helping the eye to focus, is also responsible for the color of our eyes.

Eye color may change over time, but the pattern of each person’s iris does not change.

Additional facts you may not know about your eyes:

• While it takes time for most parts of your body to warm up to their full potential, your eyes are on their A Game 24/7.
• You blink about 12 times every minute.
• The average blink lasts for about 1/10th of a second.
• Newborn babies don’t produce tears. They make crying sounds but tears don’t start flowing until they are several weeks old.
• Of all the muscles in your body, the muscles controlling your eyes are the most active.
• 80% of vision problems worldwide are avoidable and even curable.
• Each of your eyes has a small blind spot in the back of the retina where the optic nerve attaches. You don’t notice the hole in your vision because your eyes work together to fill in the blind spots.
• The eye heals quickly. With proper care, it only takes about 48 hours for the eye to repair a corneal scratch.
• The ability to see requires about half of our brainpower!

Our team at the Longwood Eye & LASIK Center is dedicated to serving you with personalized eye care! Thanks for allowing us to take part in caring for your vision health!