Are your eyelids open or shut when the eyelid muscles are relaxed?

Question

When you're awake it feels like you use muscles to close your eyes, but when you're asleep it feels like work to open them. If the eyelid muscles were to relax would they be open or shut?

Answer 1

The last answer is the most correct. The orbicularis oculi muscles contract to close the lids. The palpebral portion acts on its own when you are closing your eyes to sleep. The muscles that contract to open the eyes are the levator and meuller's muscle along with relaxation of the orbicularis. So opening and closing of the eyes require both relaxation of some muscles and contraction of others. Although more complex than you might have wished for I hope this clears up your question.

Answer 2

What Muscle Closes The Eye

Answer 3

I think (personal opinion) that it depends on how awake you are. I know that right now, if i relax my eyelids they will close because it's late. However maybe if I was at the mall walking around with my friends my eyes would feel more comfortable if they were open. Hope that helps.

Answer 4

your eyes are open when your muscles are relaxed. When the eye muscles contract, the eye closes- hence when you get eye spasms, the eyelids flutter close more often than with no spasms. Also, without sounding too grave, this is why most people die with their eyes open. When someone dies, their muscles relax, hence the eyes remain open til u push them close.
hope that helps abit!
N

Answer 5

Lower eye lids do not move. Only upper eye lids move for opening or closing the eyes. Troy and howlin`w are correct

Answer 6

both, there are muscles that open and muscles that close the eyelids.

Answer 7

open, it takes muscles to close them.....common misconception. like in movies when people die and their eyes close.