Rubbing your eyes often can lead to certain health issues

A small allergy, smoke in the eyes, or a long day in front of the computer, it doesn't take much for our eyes to get irritated and then red We then perform the satisfying act of rubbing our eyes frantically to get rid of the slight pain. But this action can lead to some pretty harmful side effects.

Skin as thin as a rose petal

Rubbing our eyes is something that we do on a daily basis, sometimes without even realizing it. This action has very harmful effects on our eyes. Indeed, the skin around our eyes is the thinnest of our epidermis. Yet it is the one we rub the most when it irritates us. As Tara Adashev, a plastic surgery nurse explained to the Huffington Post,

You should think of it as essentially like what would happen if you were aggressively rubbing rose petals

The consequences for the appearance of our eyes

Indeed, as dermatologists explain, rubbing our eyes impacts not only our ocular health but also the appearance of the skin under our eyes. And the consequences are somewhat annoying for anyone who wants to keep their skin reasonably healthy: bloodshot eyes, dark circles, wrinkles. It takes a lot to break down the capillaries (the finest blood vessels) and cause haemoglobin to leak into the eyeballs. This can even be the cause of your tired look. Snehal Amin, a dermatologist in New York said:

Chronic rubbing not only damages the skin of the eyelid but also can cause micro scratches to the cornea... Over time, this can result in thinning and loss of shape of the cornea, which can lead to blurry vision, a condition known as keratoconus.

How often is it serious?

Snehal Amin adds:

Eye rubbing is especially dangerous for people with underlying glaucoma, as it can cause spikes in intraocular pressure

That said, if you really can't help it, you might as well wash your hands first. This will at least prevent the potential infection of your eyes. Dermatologist Nava Greenfield shares:

No rubbing is good rubbing, so if you’re doing it more than even twice a day, that’s too much

So use eye drops or cold water compresses instead. And above all, try to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist if the pain and stinging persist.

This article is translated from Gentside FR.

Sources used:

-Slate: même si c’est dur, ne vous frottez jamais les yeux

-HuffPost: why you should never rub your eyes