blinking

Blinking is the rapid closing and opening of the eyelids. This action serves to protect the eyes by preventing foreign bodies from entering and by spreading lacrimal secretions over the cornea, which lubricates the eye's surface.12

While blinking can be a response to external stimuli like bright light or irritation of the cornea, the normal rate of blinking, typically occurring every two to ten seconds while awake, is thought to be controlled by a specific center in the brain. Blinking is also closely associated with eye movements, potentially aiding in changing fixation points. The muscles responsible for lid closure are the orbicularis oculi and levator palpebri muscles.123