Hey, new to the sub, but love this question. The whole eyes closing thing is definitely a reflex. The body does a bunch of stuff automatically for us, which is really cool when you think about it. Sneezing is also a way to protect us by getting rid of irritants and the eyes closing is part of that protection mechanism, I think.

Guys, this is easy. Just sneeze with your eyes open and tell us all what happens. Easy science experiment for the weekend, am I right? 😂

I've actually heard it's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open! And every time I've seen someone try, they close them every time. Ever tried sneezing with your eyes open? I bet it won't work!

idk just feels natural to close your eyes when ya sneeze. wouldn't want to see that snot flying anyway lol

Sneezing is a reflex initiated by a signal sent to the brain in response to an irritation in the nasal passages. The brain then coordinates a series of actions: closing the throat, mouth, and eyes, and a strong contraction of the chest muscles to expel air rapidly from the lungs. The closing of the eyes is part of this reflexive response, likely a protective mechanism to prevent expelled particulate matter from entering the eyes, though it's not considered necessary by all experts. This is despite the popular myth that 'your eyes can pop out if you keep them open while sneezing'. That part isn't true — your eyes are pretty secure in their sockets!

Actually, it's super interesting! Whether it's entirely necessary or not is up for debate, but the probable reason we shut our eyes when we sneeze is to protect our eyes from the particles expelled. The reflex is called the 'sneezing reflex,' which is trigged by irritation in your nasal mucous membranes. When you sneeze, your body is basically forcing out stuff from your nose at a high speed, and closing your eyes might be a way to prevent these particles and the associated germs from entering your eyes. It's like an automatic face shield!

As far as I know it's just a reflex. Our body's kinda just shuts our eyes when we sneeze so nothing gets in them I guess? Like a protective thing, you know.