If you've ever wondered what makes a pair of eyes truly captivating, scientists may finally have the answer.Researchers have pinpointed the eye shape people find most attractive – and it turns out showing plenty of whites is key. The ideal look, according to a new study, features larger, rounder eyes with more visible whites, also known as the sclera.This gives faces a wide–eyed, expressive appearance rather than the narrow, almond–shaped gaze often associated with classic beauty.Celebrities such as Anya Taylor–Joy and Jeremy Allen White come closest to matching the researchers' findings thanks to their striking, wide–open eyes.'Faces are powerful sources of social information, and the eye region plays a central role in shaping first impressions,' the researchers wrote in the journal Plos One.'Our results showed a consistent 'scleral exposure effect'.'Across all measured social judgements, faces with larger scleral exposure were rated more favourably than the same faces with smaller scleral exposure.'Celebrities such as Anya Taylor–Joy and Jeremy Allen White come closest to matching the researchers' findings thanks to their striking, wide–open eyes For the study the team, from the University of Quebec, digitally manipulated photographs of 50 male and female faces.They subtly altered the amount of white visible around the iris before asking 162 volunteers to rate their attractiveness.The small exposure models featured a scleral area of about 31.5 per cent.The large exposure models featured an area of about 43.8 per cent, avoiding extremely unusual proportions that might look unrealistic.Analysis revealed faces with eyes that showed more whites consistently received higher attractiveness scores than those with less visible sclera.These faces were also rated as being more trustworthy and social.The researchers say the preference may stem from the way larger–looking eyes make faces appear younger, more expressive and easier to read.The team also suggest that it is easier to follow the gaze of people who have larger scleral exposure. For the study the researchers subtly altered the amount of white visible around the iris before asking 162 volunteers to rate their attractiveness Small exposure models featured a scleral area of about 31.5 per cent, while the large exposure models featured an area of about 43.8 per cent Why are eyes with lots of white deemed the most attractive? Analysis revealed faces with eyes that showed more whites consistently received higher attractiveness scores than those with less visible sclera.These faces were also rated as being more trustworthy and social.The researchers say the preference may stem from the way larger–looking eyes make faces appear younger, more expressive and easier to read.The team also suggest that it is easier to follow the gaze of people who have larger scleral exposure. 'Humans are highly sensitive to others' eyes,' they wrote. 'We are naturally drawn to them and even from infancy, we seek to follow another's gaze.'Gaze following appears to be a crucial component of our social environment – it allows us to infer where others' attention is directed, to interpret implicit attitudes and expectations during social interactions, and to anticipate others' behaviours.'They also explained that scleral exposure can change over the course of a person's life and typically peaks around the ages of 20–25.As people grow up, a softening in the muscles and skin above the eye can reduce the amount of white on show.Therefore, increased whites of the eye may be a visual cue to youthfulness and health, the team suggest.Eye whites have also long been linked to the Japanese concept of 'sanpaku eyes' – where extra white is visible either above or below the iris.While some believe the feature reveals aspects of a person's personality or even predicts misfortune, there is no scientific evidence to support those claims, and ophthalmologists say it is usually just a normal variation in eye shape.Although the study focused on how much of the whites of the eyes are visible, the sclera can also reveal clues about a person's health. Analysis revealed faces with eyes that showed more whites consistently received higher attractiveness scores than those with less visible sclera. These faces were also rated as being more trustworthy and socialHealthy sclera are bright white, but they can turn yellow as a result of liver conditions such as jaundice, appear red when blood vessels become irritated by allergies, infection or lack of sleep, or develop a blue tint in people with certain rare genetic disorders.Doctors also warn that persistent changes in the colour of the eye whites should always be checked, as they can sometimes be the first visible sign of an underlying medical problem.A separate study recently revealed other facial features that most people find irresistible.Researchers captured the faces of hundreds of people using 3D scans and asked an independent set of judges to rate them for attractiveness.Analysis revealed the highest–rated women tended to have slimmer faces, fuller lips and more defined features.The most attractive men, meanwhile, were more likely to have prominent chins and angular profiles.