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Eyes Adjust So We Can See In Different Conditions

Q. Why do our eyes expand and shrink according to the light?

Submitted by Nikki Lee, eighth grade, Cherokee Middle School

A. We encounter a huge range of light levels, from dark moonless nights to the glaring noon sun. But our eyes only work within a limited range – too much light and the light-sensitive cells in our eyes are overwhelmed; too little light and the cells are not stimulated.