Researchers have made a important discovery about the ordinary act of to blink . According to a study by the University of Rochester, blinking does much more than simply keeping our eyes eyes lubricated: plays a crucial role in the way we process visual information.
Although flickering occurs more frequently than is necessary for mere lubricationMichele Rucci, a professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, suggested there is a deeper purpose.
“Blinks effectively reformat visual information, producing luminance signals that differ drastically from those normally experienced when we look at one point in the scene,” Rucci said.
Tracking eye movements
The research team tracked eye movements and combined this data with computer models and spectral analysis to examine how blinking affects our vision compared to when our eyes are fully open.
The findings revealed that blinking helps perceive larger, more gradual changes in the visual field. This mechanism provides the brain with important signals over the broader visual scene, improving our overall perception.
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Researchers also found that when we blink, rapid eyelid movement alters light patterns that are effective in stimulate the retina . This creates a different type of visual signal for our brain compared to when our eyes are open and focused on a specific point.
“We show that human observers they benefit of flicker transients as predicted from the information conveyed by these transients,” explained Bin Yang, a graduate student in Rucci’s lab and first author of the paper.
“Therefore, contrary to common assumption, blinks enhance, rather than disrupt, visual processing largely offsetting the loss in exposure to the stimulus.”
Vision is similar to other senses
Basically, this innovative research shows that blinking helps us see better by compensating for the times when we can’t see when our eyes are closed.
It is believed that the research could transform our understanding that vision is simply about receiving sensory information . Instead, he suggests that vision is more like other senses, such as touch and hearing, where movement plays a key role in how we perceive things.
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If the new research has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a lot more to blinking than meets the eye, giving us insight into the fundamental ways we interact with our eyes. visual environment . Subconscious action is inherently complex and at the same time crucial in visual perception.
