Most of us rub our eyes many times throughout the day. Its important to know that if you rub your eyes too often or hard, its possible that you could cause damage in a number of different ways…  

On the positive side of things...

Rubbing your eyes stimulates tears to flow, lubricating dry eyes and removing dust and irritants. At times, many of us do it when we feel stressed, which believe it or not can actually be therapeutic. Applying pressure to the eyeball stimulates the vagus nerve resulting in the slowing of the heart causing a reduction in stress.

Thats pretty much where the positivity ends!

As we rub our eyes we cause the breakage of tiny blood vessels possibly resulting in blood-shot eyes and/or dark circles around the eyes.

Our hands carry many germs which may contaminate the eye causing conjunctivitis or the spread of other viruses. This is especially important to avoid during times like the pandemic we are currently going through. Touching of the face and eyes can cause the spread of Covid-19 if you were exposed to it.

If there is something stuck in the eye, we may rub it due to irritation. Rubbing can cause the object to rub against eye causing it to become painful and more irritated.

Studies show that eye rubbing can also lead to thinning of the cornea, which in turn can result in distorted vision and possibly the need for a corneal graft. 

Obviously try to avoid rubbing of the eye whenever possible. To soothe the eye or treat an irritation, use eye drops to keep the eyes moist and lubricated.

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