HEALTH

Why we should never rub our eyes

The health of our eyes is crucial because compromising them inevitably means worsening our quality of life.

This is also why it is necessary to pay attention to them: for example, not rubbing your eyes is a good rule to follow. Why? Rubbing your eyes, as British optometrist Nimmi Mistry tells the Mirror, could damage them even severely. 

Rubbing the eyes can for instance lead to damage of the cornea, with all that this would entail.

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Why would it be better not to rub the eyes
The health of our eyes is crucial because compromising them inevitably means worsening our quality of life. This is also why it is necessary to pay attention to them: for example, not rubbing your eyes is a good rule to follow. Why? Rubbing your eyes, as British optometrist Nimmi Mistry tells the Mirror, could damage them even severely.
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The contamination of bacteria
Rubbing the eyes is something we usually do when our eyes are tired and irritated. For example, because we have worked long hours in front of a computer screen. Just having touched potentially bacteria-contaminated surfaces with your hands - such as smartphones, computers and desks - can put your eyes at risk if rubbed with hands that have not been previously sanitised.
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The scratches on the cornea
Rubbing the eyes 'violently' can also cause scratches on the cornea, the outermost part of the eye, thus making them more vulnerable to infection.
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Chronic conditions
Rubbing the eyes can cause the eyelashes to move in such a way that they scrape the cornea every time the eyes are opened/closed. This condition can lead to keratoconus, a chronic, progressive disease resulting from reduced resistance of the corneal structure.
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The consequences of a damaged cornea
For those who cannot avoid rubbing, it is advisable to use a clean handkerchief, wash your hands and not to touch your eyes too violently. Damage to the cornea can in fact lead to some serious consequences such as blurred vision, inflammation, headaches, sensitivity to light, nausea, fatigue and pain.
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