Want to annoy your parents, entertain a friend, or add something to your comedy routine? Squinting (squinting your eyes in the middle of your face), can be a fun easy trick that never fails to elicit a reaction. Contrary to what your parents or teachers may say, your eyes won't be stuck in a squint. If you want to know how to squint your eyes and make people panic, take a look at Step 1 to get started.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Focus on Your Nose
Step 1. Focus both eyes on the tip of your nose
Slowly lower your gaze until your eyes are focused on the tip of your nose. This can strain your eyes, as you may not be used to using your eye muscles in this way. Although you won't be able to see it for yourself, your eyes should already be crossed. But this is unattractive because you're looking down, other people can't see your cross-eyed.
Step 2. Move your gaze upwards
This is the tricky part. Once you have mastered the technique of looking at the tip of your nose, slowly move your gaze upwards, as if you were looking straight ahead, while still trying to keep your eyes squinted inward, just as you would concentrate on the tip of your nose.
Step 3. Practice, practice, practice
You may find it difficult to maintain a squint once you stop focusing on your nose. Squinting is a very natural technique that allows you to focus on something very close, and when you take your eyes off that object (in this case, your nose), your brain will automatically try to refocus your eyes on objects that are farther away, so that your eyes are straight back. However, you can control your eye muscles from focusing, but you may need to practice. Don't forget to keep your eyes open, so anyone can see your crossed eyes!
Step 4. Ask a friend for help
If you really want to master the squint technique, then you have to have a friend watch you do it so you can be sure you've done it successfully. If when you look at your friends and they say, "Disgusting!" or make a disgusted expression, then you most likely have managed to roll your eyes. Some people say you can take a picture of yourself squinting your eyes to see if you've been successful, but that takes too much coordination.
Part 2 of 3: Using a Pen
Step 1. Hold the pen at eye level and at arm's length
Focus on the object, try to ignore everything else. This version is completely different from staring at the tip of the nose, the process is redundant and a bit easier.
Step 2. Bring the object closer to your face
Do this slowly, and make sure to stay focused only on the object. This takes practice. Don't be frustrated if at first you can't keep your eyes on the object.
Step 3. Stop when the object is close to your face
Once the pen is about 10.2 cm from your face, your eyes will squint. Pause for a moment to continue to focus on the object with crossed eyes.
Step 4. Remove the object from the line of sight, but don't move your eyes
This is the tricky part. As with the technique above, keeping your eyes crossed is the hard part, but it can be achieved with practice. You'll know when your eyes aren't squinting anymore because your eyes will refocus.
Part 3 of 3: Moving One Eyeball
Step 1. Master the squint technique
This is an advanced skill that you can only master once you become good at squinting in the usual way. Squinting while moving one eye at a time will add to the disgust, because, if you can do this, you can move your eyeballs in any direction.
Step 2. Squint
Use whichever squinting technique works best, whether it's looking at the tip of your nose and then looking up, using a pen, or whatever works for you.
Step 3. Focus on moving only one eye away from the nose
While you squint, focus on moving your right eyeball toward the end of the left side of your face. In the beginning, at least the eyeball should reach the center. As you do this, make sure to keep your left eye crossed and focused on the tip of your nose. Your display will appear distracting with one eye squinting, and the other eye staring opposite or at the corner of the eye.
Step 4. Repeat on the other side
You may have more control over one eye than the other, so you should try the opposite, keeping your right eye crossed while moving your left eye toward the center of your face or to the left corner of your eye. See which one is easier for you.
Step 5. Keep practicing
This skill is more difficult than squinting, but if you master it, you're guaranteed to make your friends panic even more. You just need a few minutes a day to practice this skill and you will be a champion in no time.
Tips
- Once you learn to squint both eyes, try squinting only one eye for an even more terrifying effect! Start by staring intently with both eyes to the right or left and then cross your eyes without moving your eyes in the middle. Practice in front of a mirror. Once you can do this well from either side, you can tilt your head and reposition the crossed eyeball to the other side for greater effect.
- How do you know you've done it right? You cannot look in the mirror, as it will cause your eyes to return to normal. The easiest way is to have a friend watch you and tell you if your eyes are crossed. If you don't want to practice squinting in front of someone, take a photo of yourself when you think you've crossed your eye. Try using a digital camera or camera phone to do this, so you can see the results right away. Remember not to focus on the camera. Pay attention to how your muscles work when you roll your eyes, and try to remember how it felt so you can do it again. Another alternative way is to check if the view is "blurred", "doubled" or not. When you squint, your vision tends to blur or "double."
- Practicing in the dark or with your eyes closed can help because your eyes are less focused, making it easier for you to squint.
- When looking down the nose, many people tend to almost close their eyes. Remember to keep your eyelids open, or no one will be able to tell when your eyes are crossed.
- Almost everyone can squint to some extent, but not everyone can show it clearly. If you're one of those people, check out the related wikiHow article for other tricks you can use to wow your audience.
- Some people are born with parallel or crossed eyes, or they develop a disease called Strabismus at birth. Strabismus is a serious problem. If left untreated, the affected person may lose the removal of one eye. Fortunately, there are treatments that are quite effective, and deliberately squinting your eyes will not cause Strabismus.
- If you want to see how your eyes look, take a photo.
- Once you get a feel for how to squint, you'll be able to do it easily - and instantly - any time you want.
- If you have amblyopia, an eye condition where one eye doesn't work as well as the other, you may not be able to squint because one eye is dominant over the other.
- It is enough to focus on only one object between the eyes. The best location is on the bridge of the nose 2.5-7.6 cm away!
Warning
- Sometimes after you do this, your eyes will hurt.
- If you try to focus on something that is too close to your face, your eyes may strain a little. Although doctors disprove the myth that your eyes will stay crossed, (see external link below) your eye muscles will feel temporary pain if you squint your eyes for too long. To avoid strain, be sure to rest your eyes frequently as you practice.
- If you have Amblyopia this will make it worse
