Apart from when people cry, eyes watering is a way that the eyes protect themselves, for example when there are unpleasant fumes the tears will wash them away and when there is something in your eye the tears help to wash it out.
Our eyelids close to stop things entering our eyes. This is a reflex reaction – we do not need to think about it and it happens very quickly.
Eyelashes also protect the eyes because they stick out so that dust and dirt do not fall straight into the eyeball.
Tears, eyelids and eye lashes are part of the body’s protection for the eyes. We do not need to clean our eyes like we do our teeth. However, it is sensible to try to protect them so they do not get damaged.
Ways of protecting your eyes:
People sometimes talk about eye strain from reading or playing computer games for too long. This means that your eyes become tired. You should rest your eyes from time to time by closing them and giving them nothing to look at for a while, or staring off into the distance for a few moments. You should also always make sure you have sufficient light to read or work to prevent eyestrain.
Your eyeball is soft and delicate you should never poke anything into your eyes.
If you hurt your eye in any way, you should seek medical help from a specialist eye Doctor at an Eye Hospital.
How to protect your eyes