Body & Senses
Why do we blink?
Flauschi blinks on the forest bench. Puschel discovers what those little eyelids do.
The short answer
Blinking spreads tears across the eye. This keeps its surface moist. Your eyelids usually do this without you having to think about it.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel tries to count every blink and soon loses track. Flauschi suggests simply watching in a mirror. Even when he stops thinking about counting, he keeps blinking. He lets his eyes blink comfortably.
Try explaining it
What does blinking do on the surface of the eye?
Choose a), b) or c), then explain your choice.
- a)The eyelids spread tears.
- b)The lids remove the entire tear film at every blink.
- c)Eyelashes replace the tear fluid.
Show the explanation
Correct: a): The eyelids spread tears.
Blinking spreads tears across the eye. This keeps its surface moist. Your eyelids usually do this without you having to think about it.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Understand step by step
How it works – simply explained
A thin film covers the eye
Tear fluid keeps the eye surface moist even when you are not crying. An evenly moist surface helps the eye work.
The lid spreads fluid
Blinking briefly moves the lid across the eye, spreading the tear film. Think of spreading a thin water layer, not wiping with a tool.
Protection often happens automatically
Much blinking happens without planning. Lids and lashes also help protect. If something bothers the eye, get help rather than rubbing or inserting objects.
References for this explanation: [1]
The key points again
Discovery 1
Blinking spreads tears over the eye and keeps its surface moist.
Source: [1]
Discovery 2
Eyelids often close automatically, but you can also blink deliberately.
Source: [1]
Discovery 3
Eyelids and eyelashes help protect the eye. Do not rub it if something feels wrong.
Source: [1]