# What kind of eyeball is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168 "2011-01-11T00:55:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/1 "2011-01-11T00:55:25Z")
Today, I found an eyeball in a package of watermelon slices we bought from the grocery store. I had eaten some of the watermelon, and so had my baby daughter. Needless to say, on discovery of the random eyeball, I pretty much wanted to vomit in every corner of the house. I brought the package back to the store to demand an investigation, but not before I took pictures of the eye. So. [What kind of eye is this](http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/eyeballvomit.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/2 "2011-01-11T00:57:05Z")
Is this a whoosh? It looks like a watermelon seed to me. Or if not that, maybe a black bean. It doesn’t remotely look like an eyeball to me. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/3 "2011-01-11T00:58:45Z")
I’m with **Freudian Slit**. Either watermelon seed or bean. Although if we are in the fruit aisle, I could also throw out Papaya seed. [papaya seeds](http://www.kriyayoga.com/photography/photo_gallery/d/16950-2/papaya_seeds-1-dsc03170.jpg) although this one doesn’t seem to be ripe ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/4 "2011-01-11T00:58:53Z")
Does it matter? I’d say it’s a Scarlet Runner Bean. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/5 "2011-01-11T00:59:17Z")
buckeye! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/6 "2011-01-11T01:07:19Z")
It doesn’t look like an eye to me. It won’t make you feel any better, but it looks more like a [roach egg case.](http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/dk1003.html). In particular, note the segmentation. A better close-up would be helpful. It does not resemble a [watermelon seed](http://www.moonbattery.com/watermelon_seeds.jpg) in either shape or coloration. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/7 "2011-01-11T01:09:55Z")
Oh dear god, why did I click on that link, **Colibri**? I should have known better… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/8 "2011-01-11T01:15:26Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Oh dear god, why did I click on that link, **Colibri**? I should have known better… Yeah, watermelon seeds are kind of slimy… ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/9 "2011-01-11T01:20:50Z")
Sorry guys, the pic isn’t great. Let me assure you, this was NOT a seed, nor a roach egg case. This had a cornea and an iris. If you look closely at the pic, you can see the iris. To be clear, it was an eye. You know when you see fish eyes on the beach? This was like that, only not at all the shape of any fish eye I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/10 "2011-01-11T01:21:57Z")
Also, to make things a bit clearer, the manager of the store VISIBLY RECOILED when he saw it. It was very, very obviously an eye. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/11 "2011-01-11T01:29:14Z")
It’s too oblong to be an eye. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/12 "2011-01-11T01:37:09Z")
Well, it wasn’t a full eyeball, to be fair; it was basically, like I said, kind of like fish eyes you see at the beach; it seemed to be just the FRONT part of the eye. Entirely possible it was squashed, or decomposed or something. It certainly seemed discoloured; there appeared to be a “white” of the eye that was blackened. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/13 "2011-01-11T01:37:38Z")
Beware the eyes of January. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/14 "2011-01-11T01:37:39Z")
You’re going to have to provide a much, much better picture, and from various angles, before I’m convinced it’s an eye. Also, a cross section would help. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/15 "2011-01-11T01:44:05Z")
Unfortunately I’ve already brought the package (and the eyeball!) back to the store. I’ve half a mind to go get it back just so I can bring it to a health clinic to make sure my kid and I are safe, but I figure they won’t give it back because they know it’s a liability. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/16 "2011-01-11T01:50:44Z")
Alll I can say is that most vertebrate eyes are more spherical. If it were a vertebrate eye, it would have to be a slice taken from across the front of the eyeball, rather than the eyeball itself. Also, there is the odd corrugation/segmentation across the upper left. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/17 "2011-01-11T01:51:22Z")
> [@Carlyjay](#): > > Well, it wasn’t a full eyeball, to be fair; it was basically, like I said, kind of like fish eyes you see at the beach; it seemed to be just the FRONT part of the eye. Entirely possible it was squashed, or decomposed or something. It certainly seemed discoloured; there appeared to be a “white” of the eye that was blackened. So it was half an eyeball? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/18 "2011-01-11T02:25:41Z")
It’s from a Mexican caught up in the cartel wars. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/19 "2011-01-11T02:34:08Z")
Well, I know one store manager who will almost certainly get fired tomorrow morning. They gave it back to me. More eye pics coming. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168/20 "2011-01-11T02:42:48Z")
Here are more pics. Back of the thing: [http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cimg4369.jpg](http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cimg4369.jpg) [http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cimg4371.jpg](http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cimg4371.jpg) Front of it: [http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cimg4372.jpg](http://whatthebeans.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cimg4372.jpg) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-eyeball-is-this/567168.md?page=2)