This is going to be the longest stare-down of your life. It will be seven days before you blink again. What device would you use if you had to force your eyes open? If the pain is unbearable, how long will it take? What are the chances of you losing your sight forever?
What Is The Point Of Blinking?
Your eyeballs remain lubricated and free of particles by blinking. Without this reflex, your eyes would be very dry and painful. Blinking releases a tear film that helps keep your eyeball’s surface smooth. You won’t have blurry vision when you view this smooth surface because it allows light to focus properly.
Since there are no blood vessels that reach your corneas, oxygen is obtained from this film. It also contains enzymes that prevent infection and fight bacteria. Would your eyes get blurry, dry, and contaminated with bacteria in a week without blinking? You wouldn’t be able to blink for 168 hours.
Will Start The No-Blinking For A Week Challenge?
Putting your willpower to the test won’t work. These peepers would need some serious attention. Would a lid speculum be useful? This device may look like it belongs in a torture chamber, but it is usually used for surgical procedures. It would be the best option for you. Glue a ring under each eyelid. Isn’t that simple? Now try blinking. It’s time to start counting down.
The natural instinct to blink would be triggered in just four seconds. Oh, you’re in for a fight. Your eyes would dry out without proper lubrication. As the seconds passed, their redness increased. The tiny blood vessels on their surface would expand as a result. As dust and particles settle in, your vision will blur once the protective film of tears is removed.
Your Eyes Are Beginning To Suffer
There would be an uneven surface on your eyeballs. There would be no way for light to pass through. The situation would be very difficult for you now. Eyes would lose more moisture than they replenish. A gritty, stinging sensation would result from the burning. The situation is only going to worsen. There would be no way you could blink now if you were desperate. In reality, it has only been a few minutes, but it seems like it has been forever.
The challenge is still ongoing. Taking a walk could distract you. Do you know what? It would also be a bad idea. Your eyes would be unprotected from the sun’s UV rays. This can burn your corneas and temporarily blind you for up to 48 hours if you are completely exposed. Sleep is all you need right now. You’ve got to be careful.
Sleeping is often referred to as shut-eye for a reason. For that, your eyes would have to be closed. The frustration of insomnia combined with exhaustion would exacerbate your pain and discomfort. Your chances of sleeping with your eyes open are 20 percent. Infection risks would increase with every passing minute.
The itching would be present on your eyelids. The discharge would include mucus, oil, and skin cells. You wouldn’t be relieved in any way by that. Also, you would suffer from corneal hypoxia because oxygen would not reach your corneas. Contact lens wearers are susceptible to this complication. However, for you, it’s yet another crisis to contend with.
Without treatment, your already manic-looking eyes would swell, resulting in cell death. There would be long-term damage as a result. Your willpower and determination will see you through the week. You’d be miserable, to put it mildly. Essentially, you’d be blind, swollen, and in pain. Following this staring contest, you will have a long road to recovery.
After day seven, you will finally be able to blink, something you should have done over 100,000 times already. There could be no greater pain than that. If you closed your eyes, your corneas would be scratched over by a week’s worth of dirt and grime. This would be extremely painful since they contain a lot of nerve endings. There is one silver lining to all this: you can finally get some sleep now that you can close your eyes.
By the way, it is not advised you try this! This is only to let you know what would happen if you did not blink for a week! Now you do, and you will not want to try it.