The blinking muscle
Orbicularis oculi · musculus orbicularis oculi
The ring of muscle around each eye that closes your eyelids.
What it does
The orbicularis oculi surrounds the eye. Its inner part closes the lid gently for blinking and sleep, while its outer part screws the eye shut tightly. Blinking also pumps tears across the eye and into the drainage channel at the inner corner.
Surprising fact
You blink around 15 to 20 times a minute, and a genuine smile tightens the outer part of this muscle too, creating "crow's feet".
Why it matters
If the facial nerve stops working, as in Bell's palsy, the eye on that side can't close, so it must be protected from drying out.
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.