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Original poster

Looking into eyes

11 replies

HoHoHoliday · 26/10/2023 19:53

Not sure which topic to put this in as it's such a weird question, so I'm opting for generic chat! And I'm not even sure how to describe this clearly so I hope someone can understand!

I had an encounter today whereby I was face to face with someone and looking directly into their eyes, and it struck me that I found it really difficult to look into both of their eyes with both of my eyes.
I found I was looking with both of my eyes either into one of theirs or into the other, and then I wondered if they could see my eyes moving from one to the other.
Is this just me being weird? How do you look at both eyes at the same time? And why have I never considered or noticed this before?
When you look into someone's eyes, is one of your eyes looking into one of their eyes and your other looking into their other?

OP posts:

Original poster

HoHoHoliday · 26/10/2023 21:39

I think I sit alone in my eye weirdness.

OP posts:

CandyCane75 · 26/10/2023 21:40

I have often thought this! Now I'm overly conscious about it 😬

beandream · 26/10/2023 21:42

Ahahah yes!! I always think this and end up awkwardly switching between each eye. Is it possible to look into both?! I feel like your eyes must look different directions

Original poster

HoHoHoliday · 26/10/2023 21:49

Aha! So it's not me being weird then. I don't know why I have never noticed this before.
Once I was conscious of it I was looking from one eye to the other, and I wondered if they could see my eyes changing even though my head was still 😵‍💫

OP posts:

AutumnIsMyFriend · 26/10/2023 21:51

I tend to look at mouths, not eyes, and I am not sure if that’s totally weird.

SleepingStandingUp · 26/10/2023 21:51

Aim for the bridge of their nose and presumably unless you're cross eyed you'll be able to see both of their and look like you're looking directly at them? Or just kiss them.

MyDogSmellsTerrible · 26/10/2023 21:55

My ex MIL used to look at one eye then the other and swap backwards and forwards really quickly the whole time she was talking to me. Properly freaked me out 😂

I just pick one eye and stick with it!

blgld · 26/10/2023 21:56

This thread just made me laugh out loud. But yes! I get this every now and then and it totally throws me! Is it just me or is it more noticeable and intense with certain people/conversations?!

CandyCane75 · 26/10/2023 21:57

HoHoHoliday · 26/10/2023 21:49

🤣🤣 loving this thread.
Honestly thought I was alone in my weirdness!

LucyAnnTrent · 26/10/2023 21:58

The way human (and many other mammals' eyes) work, is that both eyes look at the same thing at the same time. Since the pupils of your own eyes are several cm apart, your brain receives two slightly different images (a bit like the two matching photos on Viewmaster discs ). This allows your brain to form a 3D picture of what you're looking at.

So, it's perfectly normal to gaze at just one of your friend's eyes at a time. In practice, people often look at one eye and then the other.

SaulHudsonDavidJones · 26/10/2023 22:12

You have to look at one eye in order to focus. Looking into both eyes would mean your eyes would go blurry from not focusing. I had a friend who always went back and forth between eyes she'd look at and I always thought it was quite an endearing quality, it made her seem like she was really paying attention and gave her an innocent-like quality for some reason.

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