You were likely told as a tyke that you ought to never rub your eyes, yet you realize everybody does it here and there. A few people like to rub their eyes since they feel bothersome. Others do it since it expels and alleviates the eyes of aggravations like residue.
Scouring may likewise be unwinding for certain individuals on the grounds that the nerves on the eyeballs are invigorated when softly squeezed. The scouring activity additionally helps in the oil and stream of tears, particularly for dry and tired eyes.
You may ponder — what’s the most exceedingly bad that can happen when you rub your eyes? Clearly, there are a great deal of wellbeing concerns when you do this unreasonably. According to timesofindia.indiatimes.com, here are a few things that can occur on the off chance that you rub your eyes excessively.
6 Things That Can Happen If You Rub Your Eyes Too Much
1. It can increase the risk of serious eye disease
Chronic eye rubbing can weaken the cornea and lead to its distortion called keratoconus. Continuous rubbing of the corneal tissue can cause it to thin and become more cone-shaped. Severe damage can require a corneal transplant.
2. It can make your glaucoma worse
If you have any existing eye condition, rubbing the eyes can make it even worse. Glaucoma is often caused by an increase in the pressure inside the eye, known as intraocular pressure (IOP). This pressure can lead to several problems including damage of the optic nerve, which can eventually cause vision loss.
Patients taking glaucoma medicine are suggested not to rub their eyes, even if the medication makes them feel itchy and blurry.
3. You can scratch your cornea
That eyelash or piece of dust in your eyes can cause immense irritation and temptation to rub the eyes. But this can make the situation worse. This puts you at risk of scratching your cornea, which typically heals in a day or two. But if not treated properly, it can result in an ulcer. If something like this happens, use water or saline to rinse your eye instead.
4. It can make your nearsightedness worse
People with nearsightedness, also called myopia, can make their condition worse by rubbing their eyes. The condition has become common among people in the past few decades. According to a 2016 study published in the Opthalmology, nearly 9.6 million people are highly myopic and their vision tends to worsen over time.
5. You can get dark circles and bloodshot eyes
If you rub your eye hard enough, you can break the tiny blood vessels in your eyes, which can result in bloodshot eyes. Dark circles can appear due to the inflammation caused by continuously rubbing the eyelid. The appearance of dark circles post eye rubbing is called post-inflammatory pigmentary alteration.
6. It can increase your risk of infection
Even if you wash or sanitize your hands often, they can still pick up thousands of germs. Touching your eyes with dirty hands can transfer the bacteria to the eyes that can cause conjunctivitis or redness in the eyes. If you get an infection in your eyes, a warm compress may help soothe it.
WHAT TO DO TO STOP RUBBING YOUR EYES
On the off chance that you have the desire to rub your eyes, at that point attempt these choices so you won’t hazard harming the collagen, elastin, nerves, and tissues:
Flush down bothered eyes with running water. Go to the shower and wash your face specifically under it for a couple of minutes.
Complete a virus pack utilizing a delicate washcloth to ease bothersome and chafed eyes.
Use eye drops to calm sore and red eyes.
Take an antihistamine drug if the bothering is because of sensitivities.
Wear shades to secure your eyes when you’re outside.
Expel your contact focal points legitimately when you need to rest.
Close and rest your eyes for no less than 20 minutes in the wake of utilizing devices for quite a long time.
Get yourself checked for any disturbances that are as yet present the following day.
