There are varying estimates, but on average, people blink 15-20 times per minute. This means that people blink about 4 million times per year. Blinking, which only takes one-tenth of a second, is basically the eye's mechanism for cleaning and moisturizing the eyeball.
When we blink, lubricating fluids spread over the eyeball, preventing it from drying out. There are six muscles in each eye that control movement. The "orbicularis oculi" muscle allows blinking to occur. Muscles in the eye are believed to be the fastest muscles in the human body.
More about blinking:
- The reason we do not experience blackouts during blinking is because our brain suppresses the areas that detect visual changes.
- The amount of time our eyes remain closed due to blinking every day is roughly 10% of our waking hours.
- Hamsters can blink one eye independently from the other.