Upon death, the orbicularis oculi muscle around our eyes loses its tone, causing them to remain open. Additionally, the brain’s control over bodily functions ceases, preventing the eyelids from closing. Other factors influencing open eyes include a person’s final position, rigor mortis, and external factors like the environment or medical interventions.
Historically, open eyes after death held cultural and religious significance, sometimes considered a sign of a peaceful passing or a connection to the afterlife. Modern medicine, however, attributes it to physiological processes.
