Why Rubbing Your Eyes Is Dangerous, Doctor Explains

Rubbing your eyes may feel like a small habit, but doctors say it can be very harmful. Many people rub their eyes when they feel an itch, irritation, or dryness. It gives short relief, but this relief comes with serious risks. A family medicine doctor from England, Dr. Sermed Mezher, recently explained why rubbing your eyes is dangerous and how it can damage your vision permanently.

Dr. Mezher shared that people often think hearing a “pop” sound while rubbing their eyes is worrying. He said the sound is usually just air moving into the tear duct and is not harmful. But the real danger is the rubbing itself. According to him, rubbing your eyes should not be a normal habit because it can change the shape of the cornea, which is the clear front part of your eye.

He mentioned that when you rub your eyes too often, the cornea can bend and bulge outward. A healthy cornea is smooth and round, but rubbing can deform it. Doctors call this condition keratoconus. It is a serious problem because there is no medicine that can fix it. The only way to correct the cornea again is through a corneal transplant, which is a major surgery. This means that simple rubbing can lead to surgery in the future.

Dr. Mezher also shared an MRI scan to show how the eye reacts during rubbing. The pressure from your fingers pushes the cornea and weakens it over time. If this continues for months or years, the damage becomes permanent. This condition can cause blurry vision, light sensitivity, and difficulty wearing glasses or lenses.

Instead of rubbing your eyes, the doctor advised people to find out what is causing the irritation. He explained that itchy eyes are not normal and usually signal a deeper problem. The itch may come from allergies, dust, pollen, perfume, cigarette smoke, or even dry eyes from too much screen time. Sometimes contact lenses cause irritation if they are old, dirty, or not fitted properly.

Dr. Mezher said it is better to treat the root cause than to rub your eyes. If allergies are the reason, you may need allergy drops. If screen time is causing dryness, taking breaks can help. If smoke or perfume is causing irritation, it is best to avoid them. Solving the real reason behind the itch will help protect your eyes and stop you from rubbing them again.

Eye doctors also recommend using clean water to splash your eyes, using artificial tears, or gently pressing the eyelid without rubbing. Keeping your hands clean and avoiding touching your face can also help reduce irritation.

The doctor’s main message is simple: your eyes are delicate, and rubbing them is not harmless. It can cause long-term damage that cannot be reversed without surgery. Paying attention to eye irritation and treating it early is the safest choice.