Buzz
We've all experienced it: Struggling to make out something clearly, so you squint and somehow bring the blurry world into a somewhat clearer focus. But when you really pause to think about it, squinting seems a bit odd. Why does cutting back on your vision help you see better?
Despite the common belief that you’re ‘pressing your eyeballs’ to make them work harder, squinting doesn’t do anything like that—thankfully. If squinting was like squeezing a stress ball for your eyes, we'd all be in trouble.
Here’s the reason it works: Your eye’s lens constantly changes shape to focus on objects at different distances. Squinting helps by briefly adjusting the lens shape, directing light to the right spot. But the real benefit of squinting lies in how it limits the amount of light entering your eye.
To see clearly, light needs to pass through the lens and focus onto the retina at the back of the eye as accurately as possible. However, this becomes tricky in certain lighting or when the lens isn’t in top shape—something many of us face as our lenses change with age.
According to the Cornell Center for Materials Research, “As we age, the lens in our eyes stiffens, making it more difficult to focus light as effectively as before. Additionally, some individuals have slightly elongated eyes, which can cause light to focus improperly. When squinting, the shape of the eye subtly changes, just enough for the light to focus correctly on the retina.”
Put simply, a lens that isn't functioning perfectly can, in the most basic terms, allow too much light into the eye. By narrowing the eyelids, much like adjusting a camera's aperture, the amount of light entering is reduced, focusing it more precisely on the retina. This effect is often referred to as the pinhole effect.
Contrary to some misconceptions, squinting does not damage your eyesight. However, frequent squinting may signal a decline in vision. Since squinting reduces blinking, prolonged squinting—such as staring at a computer screen for extended periods—can lead to eye strain or dry eyes.
It's one thing to occasionally squint to see something distant or to read small print in a dimly lit setting. But if you find yourself constantly squinting, scheduling an eye test should become your top priority.
