If you suffer from allergies or spend many hours in front of a computer screen, you often feel a strong urge to rub your eyes.
Rubbing your eyes stimulates the vagus nerve, which slows your heart rate and helps relieve stress.
However, it can cause serious harm, ranging from eye conditions to the worsening of an existing condition and an increased risk of infection.
- Chronic rubbing can cause the cornea to loosen and become distorted, a condition known as keratoconus. Continuous rubbing of the cornea can cause it to thin and take on a conical shape, a dangerous condition, the treatment of which often requires a corneal transplant.
- Corneal Injury, an eyelash or dust particles that have gotten into your eye may be bothering you, but if you rub it, you’ll make the situation worse. There is a risk of injuring the cornea; this is a common condition that typically resolves within two days, but it can lead to a corneal ulcer if left untreated. Use water or saline solution to remove anything from your eye.
- If you already suffer from a serious eye condition, the glaucoma, rubbing can make it worse. Glaucoma is caused by the buildup of fluid in the front of the eye, which can damage the optic nerve and eventually lead to blindness. Rubbing the eyes can disrupt blood flow, leading to nerve damage and permanent vision loss.
- People with myopia People who rub their eyes may worsen their vision.
- No matter how often you wash your hands, they still harbor thousands of germs. When you touch your eyes with your hands, you transfer bacteria that can cause conjunctivitis. If your eyes become red, apply a warm compress to relieve the irritation.
- Rubbing your eyes does not injures only the eyes but also the eyelids, which gradually lose their elasticity. Experts recommend that when you want to rub your eyes, you should apply about the same amount of pressure as you do when drying your face with a towel.
- Vigorous scrubbing can cause small blood vessels to rupture (signature). This could lead to bleeding, which would spread to the surrounding tissue, causing dark circles.
