Amazing Facts About our Eyes

When you stop to think about it, eyes are seriously fascinating parts of our bodies. Most people take for granted the astounding capabilities of this organ and the fascinating things it can do. Here are just a few of the most fascinating facts about our eyes.

Facts by the Numbers

Our eyes are extremely complex! By the numbers:

• Over two million working parts
• Seven million cones that help us to see color and more details
• Over 100 million rods that are able to provide us with night vision

Have you ever blinked and wondered exactly how long it was? Well, the average blink lasts for 1/10th of a second.

In general, we blink 17 or more times a minute, but while working on a computer, the blink rate drops to about 12 to 15 blinks per minute. This is part of the reason your eyes hurt after working on a computer for too long without a break.

Other Eye Facts

The color of your eyes is determined by the amount of melanin in your iris.

After the brain, the eyes are the most complex organ.

The most active muscle in your entire body are the muscles that control your eyes.

In order for us to get further in space travel, we need to learn how to protect our astronauts’ eyes, since long-distance space travel will wreak havoc on their eyes due to a lack of gravity.

Everyone who has blue eyes shares a common ancestor with everyone else who has blue eyes.

During periods of major depression, our vision can actually be altered to the point where there is less contrast, making colors seem duller.

Babies are born color blind and usually start to see colors within a week and by six months old are able to see all colors.