Discover the risks of rubbing your eyes

We know that constant contact between hands and eyes increases the risk of contracting infections in both the eyes and eyelids. Some of them are conjunctivitis, stye or blepharitis. Despite knowing what can happen to us, we end up rubbing our eyes . It is actually a very common action that is done quite frequently (when waking up, due to stress or tiredness), sometimes even without realizing it.

In principle, it is not of major importance, that is, if it is something we do punctually. Things change when rubbing your eyes becomes a habit. In these situations, the consequences can be more serious.

Even knowing that it can be harmful to our eyes, we end up rubbing them. The reason is because it has a relaxing and pleasant effect. This is because it stimulates tear production and, therefore, will hydrate and lubricate the eyes, thus providing a feeling of relief in case of irritation or discomfort.

Reasons why we rub our eyes

Sleep, tiredness, stress... these are situations where we end up rubbing our eyes, but there are other disorders that can cause people to end up rubbing their eyes more frequently. Among them, we can highlight:

• Eye dryness . Causes foreign body sensation. By rubbing your eyes, it stimulates tear secretion, providing temporary relief.
• Allergies . They cause eye itching, so rubbing your eyes will relieve that sensation.
• Excessive use of screens . When we spend many hours in front of digital screens, the flickering will be reduced, causing dry eyes. By rubbing your eyes, you will feel relief.

Despite the relief that rubbing the eyes provides, this habit can have harmful consequences for our visual health. At Venice Eyewear we explain why you should put this habit aside.

Consequences of rubbing your eyes

What are the consequences of rubbing your eyes? First of all, this habit can cause aging of the skin around the eyes. In other words, it will promote the appearance of wrinkles. In addition, rubbing can break blood vessels, also promoting bags.

If you have an eye pathology, this habit can worsen the situation. This is because there is a risk of weakening the cornea due to the friction caused by rubbing. To this we have to add that we may be transferring bacteria to our eyes through our hands, as well as allergens from our eyelashes to our eyes. Therefore, you may suffer from conjunctivitis or keratitis.

In case of glaucoma or a disease that affects the retina, the habit of rubbing the eyes can cause damage to the optic nerve or retinal detachment. This can cause complete vision loss. Add that injuries can be caused by broken capillaries, causing redness in the sclera and even causing eye leakage.

Another consequence is deformations and keratoconus. The ocular surface and, specifically, the cornea can be deformed, causing keratoconus, a disease that causes vision problems.

Take care of your eye health with Venice Eyewear! In our online store you will find blue light blocking glasses , reading glasses and sunglasses for adults and children .