why do we close our eyes when we sneeze?

the muscles used during the contraction for the sneeze are all energized at the same time. On the other hand if you sneeze normaly on your own you can blow your nose and keep your eyes open. if you try to stop a sneeze from happening you will often get a contraction pain in your chest.

I don't buy that for a minute, I've held my eyes open numerous times with my fingers and my eyes never came close to popping out. I think it has to do with when our noses were flatter and nostrils faced forward like other primates. We could have gotten stuff in our eyes if we kept them open while sneezing. We just held on to that trait after our nostrils started pointing down.

Now to get people to stop using their vocal cords when they sneeze...

Because the speed at which we sneeze and the relationship to cavities in your face makes it impossible to keep your eyes open.

Because the force would pop your eyes out of their sockets if you sneezed with your eyes open! (it was tested on Mythbusters once and they couldn't physically sneeze with their eyes open to test the theory tho!)

it is a natural mechanism, we must close our eyes when we sneeze.

If you've ever seen mr. deeds, when the whole fountain of punch thing comes into play? Yeah, well that would happen with our eyes.

Ever done it with them opened? My dd stepmom gave birth and pushed with her eyes opened and popped a few blood vessles OUCH

because otherwise your eyes would pop out of the sockets

it affects your eyes...it is close to the nose

you cant do anything to stop it...its like when your scared ..you cant stop from making that face or jumping when ur scared!

Cuz we dont want to look at our own bugers coming out of our nose..