So, my eyes don't have to close? - Granite Grok

So, my eyes don’t have to close?

sneezeGlad to know about the little mysteries of life:

Why Do My Eyes Close When I Sneeze?

Is it a foregone conclusion that we can’t help closing our eyes during a sneeze? Not quite, researchers say. It is possible (albeit difficult) to keep our eyes open during a sneeze, said Dr. David Huston, an associate dean at the Texas A&M College of Medicine Houston campus and an allergist at Houston Methodist Hospital. “The fact that it is possible to sneeze with the eyes open suggests that it is not hardwired or mandatory,” Huston said in a statement. It’s not entirely clear why people blink while sneezing, but it likely plays a protective role, he said.

Sneezing, known to researchers as the sternutation reflex, protects our nasal passageways from foreign particles by forcing a 10-mph whoosh of air from the lungs. (Previous accounts put that speed at 100 mph, but a 2013 study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that six volunteers had sneeze speeds of 4.5 meters per second, or 10 mph).

However, sneezing involves more than expelling air and foreign particles. When stimulated, the brain stem’s sneeze center orders muscle contractions from esophagus to sphincter. That includes the muscles controlling the eyelids. Some sneezers even shed a few tears. Perhaps people close their eyes while sneezing to prevent the expelled particles from entering their eyes, Huston said.

…If they’re so inclined, people can try to keep their eyes open during a sneeze. Moreover, they don’t have to worry about their eyeballs popping out, a tall tale that has no scientific merit, he said. This allegedly happened in 1882, according to a New York Times article about a woman who was said to have dislocated an eyeball (known as subluxation in the medical world) after a fit of severe sneezing.

“There is little to no evidence to substantiate such claims,” Huston said. “Pressure released from a sneeze is extremely unlikely to cause an eyeball to pop out, even if your eyes are open.”

 

Well, I’m glad THAT’s settled.    (H/T: LiveScience)

>