What makes eyes twinkle

In a lot of ads if you look very closely, you can see a ring of 8 or 10 lights, that are behind the photographer which definitely make it look like they have sparkling eyes.

In real life, however, it would probably be tears that help pronounce the effect of sparkling eyes. I think referring to the sparkle in someone's eye is a metaphor. It refers to a more complicated emotional state or predisposition, so we ascribe visual characteristics to it. Usually, people to whom I attribute sparkling eyes are charismatic individuals who are excited about something without being overbearing.

I'm more likely to pay attention to someone I find intriguing, and will probably spend more time looking at their eyes than I would someone I don't find compelling. Hence, I notice their eyes more than I otherwise might, and instead of trying to explain the nuanced vibes I'm picking up, I just call it sparkle.

Physically, I'd imagine it's light bouncing off the lens. To expand on maudlin's answer, look up catchlight or obie for more info. I love the first 3 answers! What I think: Rarely will you get the impression that a person's eyes sparkle when they are not smiling.

Additionally, the phenomenon takes time to perceive and is not captured in a photo but unfolds over some small amount of time with each successive glint building up, iteratively, to the overall impression that the eyes are sparkling. Physically, the environment to create the perception of sparkling requires light sources and illuminated objects sufficient to create the specular reflections associated with sparkling eyes.

This can be a nearly dark environment with a single source or a bright environment with dancing light sources such as the undulating surface of water. It's light reflecting from the cornea. In corneal oedema , the sparkle is lost. When my children were very young, I noticed that their eyes naturally sparkled much more brightly than adults' eyes do. In my case, it's because I have bionic eyes, so to speak.

I had cataract removal surgery 11 years ago followed by lens implants. When you look at me from an angle, the light reflects off the implants creating a sparkling effect. I've had more than a few people go WOAH! Fortunately, there are many home remedies you can try to boost the health of your eyes. A well-balanced diet can help keep your eyes healthy.

Learn the seven best foods to eat for eye health. If you have goopy eyes, you may wonder what creates the green, yellow, or clear gunk and what can you do to prevent or treat it.

Eye discharge can…. Here are tips for how to get something out of your eye. We explain ways to know if you need emergency care, how to wash the eye, and ways to protect…. Wondering how to get rid of bags under your eyes?

You could try one of the many beauty products on the market that claim to de-puff and lighten this…. Yet no…. Droopy eyelids can affect more than your appearance. Over time, they can start to limit your field of vision and impact your ability to see. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. Avoid dry air Use green tea bags Boost fatty acid intake Use rose water Try cucumbers Massage your eyes Get enough sleep Protect your eyes Stay hydrated Take eye breaks Use eye drops Limit salt Try a compress Bottom line Share on Pinterest We include products we think are useful for our readers.

How to brighten your eyes. Avoid dry air. Put green tea bags on your eyelids. Up your intake of omega fatty acids. Try using rose water.

Use cucumbers to avoid puffiness. Try an eye massage. Get good quality sleep. Protect your eyes from the sun. Drink plenty of water. Take eye breaks. Use eye drops or artificial tears. Jones, you can see two light reflection in each eye - one near over the center of each pupil - and a second one below just a fraction above each lower lid where the tear film is a fraction of a millimeter deeper - ergo more "twinkle"! As far as the mouth goes, with sincere smile - as the gorgeous " Parks and Recreation " Star exemplifies, only the upper teeth should be visualized.

If the lower teeth are showing with the exception of laughter there is a component of a forced or posed smile - ergo in sincerity. There are exceptions to this, as one can suppress the mouth component of a smile - which of course is termed go figure This is still a sincere smile, but may be easily confused with other emotions and nonverbal nuance. Now back to the eyes. When the pupils are larger, the "background" for the light reflection contrasts greater with the "foreground" twinkle - and makes the twinkle more visible a light color against a dark background is simply easier for your eye to see.

What causes larger pupils? When a person is sexually or affectionately e. More attraction equals more twinkle. Of course, a darker environment will also cause pupils to become larger. This is one instinctive reason why dimly lit restaurants are considered more romantic.