“Why do I blink so often?”
I blink a lot, much more than normal people, it seems. People point it out to me and it makes me uncomfortable. Is there something wrong?
7 Answers
Dry eyes
You may have dry eye, which initiates the blink reflex. Please check with an eye professional (optometrist or ophthalmologist).
You may have dry eye problems and need the added irrigation that occurs when you blink frequently.
The Meibobian glands may be the culprit as they produce an oil that covers the top surface of the watery fluid of the tear and prevent it from evaporating. The bottom layer is the mucous which keeps the fluid onto the surface of the cornea.
You may have MGD or Meibobian Gland Disease. The Meibobian glands produce this oil which is exuded onto your lid margins every time you blink. Aqueous fluid from your tear gland also is exuded as well as mucous which serves as the base element of the tear and sticks everything to the cornea.
If you have a reduction of your Meibobian gland secretion, this makes the tear evaporate more rapidly making your eye feel dry and scratchy.
Best advice I can give is for you to see an ophthalmologist. It would be ideal if you knew an eye dr who specializes in Dry Eye diseases.
There are several doctors who do this.
Roger Ohanesian MD
The Meibobian glands may be the culprit as they produce an oil that covers the top surface of the watery fluid of the tear and prevent it from evaporating. The bottom layer is the mucous which keeps the fluid onto the surface of the cornea.
You may have MGD or Meibobian Gland Disease. The Meibobian glands produce this oil which is exuded onto your lid margins every time you blink. Aqueous fluid from your tear gland also is exuded as well as mucous which serves as the base element of the tear and sticks everything to the cornea.
If you have a reduction of your Meibobian gland secretion, this makes the tear evaporate more rapidly making your eye feel dry and scratchy.
Best advice I can give is for you to see an ophthalmologist. It would be ideal if you knew an eye dr who specializes in Dry Eye diseases.
There are several doctors who do this.
Roger Ohanesian MD
The most common cause is dryness of the eyes. You can try OTC tear substitutes 3-4x per day, if that does not help, see your eye care provider for an evaluation
Frequency of blinking is alright especially in older people. Excessive blinking may be blepharospasm associated with a neurological disturbance.
Further local eyelid or eye surface irritation may be a reason.
Further local eyelid or eye surface irritation may be a reason.
You need a complete eye evaluation to check for dry eye and allergies.
The most common cause of that is dry eye. Use artificial tears, and if it doesn't improve, see an eye doctor to rule out the other causes.
