Why do Asians have slanted eyes?

Question

I have them, I am Native American, I know our ancestors came from Asia so that explains that, but going back further why did they slant?

Answer 1

there is really no reason but i would like to think it was because the sun was too bright!

lol

Answer 2

God doesn't want them to see everything  

like something behind them

Answer 3

I don't think there is any scientific consensus on this. I have seen theories that it is an adaptation to cold and originates from a time of human evolution on the great frigid steppes of central Asia. But since the folds that make Asian eyes distinct from most Europeans are not preserved in human fossils, all this remains speculative. It's also hard to explain why such an adaptation is not seen at all in the peoples of Northern Europe (e.g. Saami) though I suppose they may have been where they are for a much shorter period than the Mongol-featured Asians.

Answer 4

uhmmm...

cool im native american too!=]

uhmm...

mine dont slant,but its justa jean thing i think, god made every one diffrent we need more diversity in the world!=]

Answer 5

Well, it is common among orientals and some native americans to have slanted eyes because of a tendon connecting the zygotic bones on the side of the head to the muscles in the sides of the eyes.

It is also a fact, but not a well known one, that developments in surgery for the past 15-20 years have lead to the clipping of these tendons for non-slanted eyes among the orientals and native americans to have "full" eyes. This happens when the child is an infant of course, like circumcision or the cutting of the newborns cord. It would be terribly painful to wait for these sorts of procedures as an adolescent.

Answer 6

evolution makes sense. everyone adapts to their own environment.

Answer 7

its an adaptation due to sunny environments.

Answer 8

So they could see a panoramic view of the land and see further to each side of them rather than higher and lower.

Answer 9

they dont slant

its the fact that they have extra fat around the eyes

to protect them from the winter cold

HUMANS EVOLVE

Answer 10

well i don't know about that, but most of my life i've had really big brown eyes and now that i'm older they are turning green/blue....now that i don't understand at all..!

Answer 11

They aren't 'slanted', they have an 'epicanthic fold', a piece of skin that makes they eyelashes usually point down. You see the same eye shape in the Khoisan people in Namibia. All human embryos have the same eye shape early on, it is normally lost fairly early on in development though, except in Down's syndrome children.

It keeps fine flying debris hitting the eyes to a minimum, like snow or fine dry desert sand. The down pointing lashes act like a filter/dust catcher. The 'fat keping the eye warm', theory really doesn't explain why desert dwelling Bushman have the same eye folds.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images/epi...

http://kennethomura.tripod.com/asian_eye...

http://www.loe.org/images/051014/Bushman...

http://www.nma.gov.au/shared/libraries/i...