Rubbing Your Eyes is Bad, Bad, Bad

Many people like to rub their eyes. They get sore, feel a little itchy, and a good rub makes them feel a lot better. Many of my patients like to rub their eyes in the morning just as a part of waking up. What almost everyone (except your eye doctor) doesn’t know is how bad it is to rub your eyes. And the harder and longer you rub them, the worse it is for your eyes.

What can rubbing the eyes do that is harmful? Well, how about retinal detachment, which can cause a serious loss of vision, requiring a surgery to maintain vision. Less serious is a vitreous detachment, which can result in annoying floaters and also lead to the more serious retinal detachment. Extreme rubbing in sensitive individual can also lead t the development of keratoconus, which is a corneal condition that can significantly impact vision.

It is okay to rub the eyelids, and the skin around the eyes – it is the eyeball itself that should not be rubbed. Rubbing increases the pressure inside the eyeball, which can lead to damage to the delicate structures inside the eye.

So if you want to rub, find something else to relieve that desire. Try a cool towel or simply squeeze your eyes close. But do not – do not – rub your eyes with your knuckles or your fingers!