Can Everyone Unfocus Their Eyes On Command
My friends and I were watching a horror movie last night and I couldn’t bear to watch some of the gory scenes. I unfocused my eyes and pretended to not be scared just so I wouldn’t become the butt of their jokes all night. This left me with a question. Can everyone unfocus their eyes on command? Let’s find out.
Take it from me who wears thick glasses thanks to all the reading I’ve done over the years — clear vision is nothing short of a blessing. It’s perhaps one of the most valuable things a human can possess.
However, sometimes we just want to zone out a blurred image, or any image that’s in front of us, for varying reasons. It’s time to find out what percent of the population can unfocus their eyes on command. There’s no statistics on it but some people can do it with ease, whereas some struggle with it. You just unfocus your eyes and let your mind wander. It’s a superpower that’s practically invisible?!
What Does It Mean To Unfocus Your Eyes?
Unfocusing your eyes means purposefully letting your vision become blurry. What usually happens is that you can focus clearly on anything you set your eyes upon but when you unfocus them, you intentionally stop this adjustment. It happens due to muscle relaxation.
When you unfocus your eyes, it causes the ciliary muscles in your eyes to relax. This ciliary muscle is responsible for the lenses in your eyes that provide clear vision. When you unfocus, the lenses become curved and your sight becomes blurry.
Many people confuse this with a condition called ciliary muscle spasm where the muscles in the eye contract excessively and involuntarily. It happens due to stress and close-up viewing of computer screens.
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What Is The Link Between ADHD And Unfocusing Eyes?
The act of unfocusing your eyes at will and ADHD are closely interlinked as it is tied to the core symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The symptoms include:
1. Not being able to pay attention
Why can I unfocus my eyes on command? Probably because you have ADHD. According to research, people with this condition often have trouble maintaining constant attention on any kind of tasks or objects. This can be difficult for them and that’s why most ADHD kids fall behind in their studies. This also creates a disturbance in their visual behavior.
For example, their eyes wander or unfocus as their attention shifts away from the task at hand to something else entirely. This drifting gaze is a sign that their cognitive resources are struggling to stay directed at one point of focus.
2. Being easily distracted
Research confirms that people with ADHD are easily distracted by external stimuli and thus increased sensitivity to environmental changes causes them to move their eyes from one place to another or to just unfocus them altogether.
This unfocusing is a natural response to their heightened state of awareness and the frequent shifts in attention.
3. It’s their coping mechanism
Some people with ADHD use unfocusing as a coping strategy. For instance, they will deliberately allow their vision to blur to momentarily escape from a stressful or overwhelming task.
If a kid doesn’t want to finish their homework, they might unfocus their eyes and imagine themselves having fun at a playground. It’s like they are wearing lenses in their eyes that help them zone out.
They also use this tactic to reset their focus and gain a new perspective. This can sometimes help them regroup and refocus.
How Rare Is It To Blur Your Vision On Command?
If you’re someone who likes flexing eye muscles, then it’s not uncommon at all to blur your vision on command. That’s usually the case with most people. Sometimes my eyes unfocus randomly when I am in deep thoughts. It’s all in the eye muscles.
However, if you cannot unfocus your eyes on command, you might have an underlying condition called presbyopia. It occurs among people over the age of 45 and it’s a common age-related condition. Your eyes become less flexible and you could have trouble focusing on objects.
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Is It Bad To Unfocus Your Eyes?
It’s not generally harmful when you blur your vision at will as it can relieve you from daily stress and reduce your eye strain. Your focal vision shifts from a clear image to a blurry image so it can relax the ciliary muscles in the eyes. On the contrary, doing it in a wrong way can cause some problems like:
- Eye strain: Frequently blurring and focusing your vision can strain your eyes and cause discomfort
- Vision issues: For people with existing vision problems, unfocusing can sometimes worsen difficulties or cause temporary blurriness
- Reduced attention: Unfocusing intentionally can sometimes be a sign of distractibility or difficulty concentrating. Your deteriorating focusing power could be one of the signs of ADHD
When Should You See A Doctor?
The contractions of focusing and unfocusing your eye lenses are natural abilities many people possess. But you should consider seeing a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms related to your vision or eye health:
- Continuous blurry vision
- Eye pain or discomfort in the retina
- Sudden changes in the vision
- Headaches or migraines
- Eye fatigue
Conclusion
The question of can everyone unfocus their eyes on demand varies widely among individuals. While some people can easily shift their focus and achieve a blurred vision by sheer will, others may find it challenging. Some may even experience pain due to underlying eye conditions. If you too have pain, it’s best to reach out to your medical professional and find out what’s wrong.
