Zombie Research Society
What happens if a zombie doesn’t blink? To answer this question we asked Lylas Mogk, MD, ophthalmologist and leader in the field of low vision. Dr. Mogk is also the mother of zombie expert and ZRS Head Matt Mogk, so she was the perfect person to go to.
Dr. Mogk observes that the surface of the cornea experiences negative effects associated with dry eye after only 15 seconds of not blinking. After 60 seconds, central corneal thickness decreases by 3%. In fact if zombie eyes don’t get near constant moisture they would likely go blind.
“The process would start very quickly. The surface of the eye would become ulcerated, thin, maybe develop infection, become opaque. Then once thin enough or infected enough, it would rupture and the whole contents of the eye would spill out.”
So for a zombie to see potential victims over the long term, it must maintain a reasonable level of ocular hydration. It seems that either zombies must regularly blink, or at very least they must have a constant stream of puss, blood or tears flowing over their eyes.
Not a pretty sight any way you slice it.