Why You Should Never Rub Your Eyes

Eye Health Beverly Hills

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, amidst all the reminders to not touch your face, you may have noticed that you unconsciously rub your eyes more than you previously realized. This instinct to touch your eyes has a basis in science: rubbing can activate tear flow to improve the lubrication and relieve a dry, itchy feeling.

Despite the momentary relief, this urge to rub your eyes is not healthy. In this blog, premier ophthalmologist Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, known to many as “the surgeon’s surgeon,” explains why you should dispense with this habit.

Hazards of Rubbing Your Eyes

Although eyes are durable, they are not intended to regularly withstand the pressure of rubbing. Rough rubbing can cause red eye (by breaking blood vessels) or an injury like a corneal abrasion or retinal tear. This rule applies even if you have dirt or other debris in your eye — rubbing is just as likely to cause the foreign object to scratch your cornea as it is to dislodge it.

When it comes to allergies, rubbing your eyes is counterproductive. While it may feel nice in the moment, the rubbing motion releases more histamines, the same chemical your immune system releases in response to allergens that are responsible for your allergy symptoms in the first place.

Most seriously, rubbing your eye can gradually make your cornea weaker and thinner. This leaves your eyes vulnerable to serious conditions like keratoconus, which results in a bulging cornea and distorted vision and eye rubbing makes it worse leading for more and faster loss of vision. While this may sound alarmist, research demonstrates that habitual eye rubbers are more prone to keratoconus than the average person.

Alternatives to Eye Rubbing

If your eyes are itchy or irritated, seek other solutions for relieving the problem:

  • Flush your eyes with sterile water or artificial tears.
  • Take allergy medication to relieve allergy symptoms
  • Use a cold compress (ice pack) against your eye
  • Seek treatment for chronic dry eye

With some practice, you can relieve yourself of the habit of rubbing your eyes, which should protect your vision for the long term.

Meet Dr. Brian

Dr. Brian is an award-winning, internationally renowned ophthalmologist in Beverly Hills who has pioneered several vision enhancement and restoration procedures. As one of the leading experts in keratoconus, he has seen firsthand some of the damaging consequences of habitually rubbing your eyes.

If you do develop keratoconus, do not hesitate to reach out to the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute to receive prompt care that allows you to maintain your vision. To schedule a consultation, please call 1-310-860-1900 now.

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A BRIEF NOTE ABOUT DR. BRIAN

Throughout his highly respected career, cornea specialist Dr. Brian has never wavered with his integrity and dedication to always do the best for each and every patient - even in the face of adversity and peer pressure. Case in point: when he developed a procedure to treat a cornea condition known as Keratoconus. While other eye surgeons were entrenched in performing invasive and painful cornea transplants, Dr. Brian invented a new non-invasive procedure that prevented needing cornea transplants. He was shocked by the medical establishment being unwelcoming to his innovation because, as he later found out, his new procedure was preventing other eye surgeons from performing their lucrative cornea transplants. Dr. Brian persisted, went against the grain and didn’t give up because he believed in himself and in his procedure as it was in the best interest of patients. Eventually, he crossed paths with U.S. Olympic bobsled driver Steven Holcomb who had Keratoconus and became so depressed over it that he tried to commit suicide. Luckily, he survived. The United States Olympic team and his coaches found Dr. Brian and sent Steven to see him. Dr. Brian restored his vision to 20/20 which enabled Steven later win a historic Olympic gold medal for United States in bobsled - the first in 62 years! As a result, Dr. Brian was later invited to give a prestigious TEDx talk about his integrity and dedication to patients. You can watch his moving and inspiring TEDx talk here.

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