Rubbing our eyes seems like a normal thing. On average, every human rubs their eye unconsciously once or twice a day. But, do you know that unconscious action can lead to some serious concerns later? Well, it has, and you need to be careful whenever you think of rubbing your eyes. It might offer temporary peace, but it can lead to eye concerns in the long run. This blog is all about letting you know the harmful effects of rubbing your eyes. Let’s dig into this blog and see what causes rubbing of the eyes and how you can prevent that.
Why Do We Rub Our Eyes?
Some experts suggest eye allergies and dry eyes lead to eye rubbing. Now, what is dry eye? Well, the absence of enough tears in your eyes leads to dry eyes. It paves the way toward itching and burning. Some of the other causes are:
Sleep disturbances or insomnia
Contact lens irritation
Vision issues that need correction
The wrong vision prescription
Blepharitis (infected or irritated eyelids, styes)
Having a cold or the flu
Eye infections like pink eye or conjunctivitis
Consult your eye doctor immediately if you face any of the above issues while constantly rubbing your eyes. You can book your free eye test with us and get the expert’s opinion.
Why Is Rubbing Your Eyes Bad?
There are quite a few side effects of rubbing your eyes, which can lead to serious issues as well. Here are some for your understanding.
Keratoconus: A study by PubMed says that continuous rubbing of your eyes can cause thinning of the corneal tissue, which weakens the cornea and pushes it forward to become more conical. Also referred to as Keratoconus, it is a serious problem that distorts your vision. Under such situations, you need to opt for specialised contact lenses like scleral lenses or a corneal transplant.
Foreign objects inside your eyes: Sometimes, foreign particles enter our eyes, making us end up rubbing our eyes to remove the particles. Rubbing your eyes might scratch your cornea—it is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. You can opt for artificial tears and saline solution to get rid of the particles.
Dirty hands: Touching and rubbing your eyes with dirty hands can put you at risk of harmful bacteria or germs entering your eyes. In no time, you can get exposed to conjunctivitis. Ensure to wash your hands with water and soap—it is a hygienic practice that keeps several diseases at bay.
Pre-existing eye conditions: Some people deal with certain pre-existing eye conditions, like glaucoma or progressive myopia. Rubbing your eyes in these kinds of situations can worsen your eyesight. You should make sure to go for regular eye tests to detect these conditions at an early stage.
Dark circles: Eye rubbing causes tiny blood vessels to break, which in turn causes bloodshot eyes (red eyes) and dark circles under the eyes.
When Should You Contact an Optometrist?
If you face any of these issues stated below, the first thing you need to do is contact an eye doctor:
Light sensitivity
Eye pain
Blurry vision
Reduced vision
Headache
Inflammation or redness
Fatigue
Nausea
These are potential signs of eye damage that should be taken care of as soon as possible.
How to Stop Rubbing Your Eyes?
Now you might be wondering how to stop rubbing your eyes. Well, worry not, follow the below-mentioned steps:
Use artificial tears or eye drops to keep your eyes hydrated. They are available over the counter at pharmacies and are particularly effective against dry eyes.
To avoid chronic eye rubbing in more complex cases, such as allergy sufferers, steroid eye drops can be used.
Excessive eye rubbing should be addressed to prevent ocular and vision damage, whether caused by chronic dry eye, itchy eyes, or habit.
Make sure to have a proper sleep schedule.
Since most of the work involves using screens, one can have blue light-blocking glasses for an extra layer of protection.
If you can’t resist your hands from touching your own face, consider wearing mittens and gloves.
The Bottom Line
Rubbing your eyes to solve short-term problems isn’t a proper solution—it makes room for long-term concerns. Prevention is always better than a cure—get eye tests and take proper measures. You can book a free eye test with us and get your eyes checked before it's too late to take action.
Related Articles
Caution: You may become style obsessed
Your way finder
A Frame For Every Game.
