When your eyes feel tired after a long day or itch from seasonal allergies, the first instinct is often to rub them. Even our team with Gartner & Galstian Vision Care has this reflex, but it’s one that deserves a closer look. The pressure of rubbing your eyes can feel like a brief moment of relief, but the habit could be causing more harm than good.
Yes, rubbing your eyes can cause damage, especially when you do it frequently or with too much pressure. If you’re constantly experiencing the urge to rub your eyes, it might be time to consider an eye exam.
Why You Rub Your Eyes
The urge to rub your eyes is a common response to different types of discomfort. It’s a reflex you might not even notice, but it usually happens for a few specific reasons. Here are some of the most common reasons you may feel like rubbing your eyes:
- To relieve the itchiness that comes with allergies.
- To help stimulate tear flow when you feel tired or groggy.
- To remove a piece of dust or an eyelash that feels stuck.
Short-Term Effects and Appearance
Even a gentle rub can have immediate effects on your eyes and the skin around them. While these issues are often temporary, they can cause discomfort and possibly change how your eyes look. If you rub your eyes very hard, watch out for increased risk of:
- Broken blood vessels: Pressure can rupture the tiny, fragile blood vessels on the surface of your eye, leading to red, bloodshot eyes.
- Dark circles: Frequent rubbing can irritate the thin skin beneath your eyes, which may contribute to the appearance of dark circles.
- Risk of infection: Your hands carry germs, and rubbing your eyes can transfer them directly to your eye’s surface, raising the chance of an infection like pink eye.
Long-Term Risks and Serious Conditions
When eye rubbing becomes a regular habit, the effects can go beyond temporary redness. Over months or years, the repeated pressure and friction can lead to more significant problems that may affect the structure of your eye and the clarity of your vision. These gradual changes don’t always have symptoms at first.
Damage to Your Cornea
Your cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of your eye. It helps focus light, so you can see things clearly. Because it is your eye’s outermost layer, it is vulnerable to damage from rubbing. Possible damage to the cornea may include:
- Small scratches, known as corneal abrasions.
- Thinning or weakening, which can change the cornea’s shape over time.
- Consistent, forceful eye rubbing has been associated with the development or progression of keratoconus in some individuals.
Impact on Current Eye Issues
If you already have a diagnosed eye condition, rubbing can sometimes make it more complicated. The increase in pressure or physical stress on the eye can interfere with your eye health.
For some people with glaucoma, rubbing may cause a temporary spike in eye pressure, which could affect the optic nerve, which sends signals to your brain.
Safer Ways to Get Relief
Breaking the habit of rubbing your eyes starts with finding safer ways to handle irritation. Instead of rubbing, we encourage you to try a few simple alternatives that can bring relief without putting your eyes at risk. Try these habits instead:
- Use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops to soothe dry, tired eyes.
- Carefully flush your eye with a sterile saline solution to remove dust or debris.
- Address the source of allergies with appropriate medication or treatments.
When to See an Eye Doctor
If you find that your eyes are constantly irritated, it might be a sign of an underlying issue that drops alone cannot fix. An eye care professional can help identify the source of your discomfort. You should schedule a visit with an eye doctor in San Diego if you notice any new or persistent symptoms, like:
- Constantly blurry or distorted vision.
- Persistent eye irritation that doesn’t go away.
- Always feeling like something is stuck in your eye.
Schedule Your Next Eye Exam
Your vision is a key part of how you experience the world, and protecting it starts with healthy habits. If you are struggling with scratchy, irritated eyes, our team with Gartner & Galstian Vision Care can help find relief. Schedule a comprehensive eye exam to get the comfort you need and keep your eyes healthy for years to come.
