We've all had the experience of rubbing our hands when our eyes are dry, itchy, or when we get a foreign body. Seemingly simple actions are actually potentially harmful to the eyes. Rubbing your eyes not only doesn't solve the problem, but can lead to a range of eye health problems. Next, let's learn the truth about rubbing your eyes and how to properly protect your eyes.
1. The dangers of rubbing your eyes
1.1 Risk of Ocular Infections
Our hands come into contact with a variety of objects every day, and our hands can carry large amounts of bacteria and viruses. When you rub your eyes, bacteria and viruses can get directly into your eyes, increasing the risk of eye infections. Common eye infections include conjunctivitis, keratitis, etc.
1.2 Corneal damage
The action of rubbing the eyes can cause corneal abrasions. The cornea is a transparent film that covers the front of the eyeball, which is very fragile and can cause injury if you are not careful. Corneal abrasions can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as eye pain, blurred vision, and in severe cases, corneal ulcers.
1.3 Aggravate eye strain
Eye strain can be caused by excessive eye use for long periods of time or incorrect eye posture. Although rubbing your eyes can temporarily relieve fatigue, it can actually put pressure on your eyeballs, aggravate eye fatigue, and may even affect your vision.
1.4 Causes dry eyes
Frequent eye rubbing can damage the tear film on the surface of the eye, resulting in increased tear evaporation, resulting in dry eyes, which can easily develop into dry eye syndrome in the long run. Dry eye syndrome can cause eye discomfort, vision fluctuations and other problems, which can seriously affect daily life and work.
1.5 Induce allergic reactions
When rubbing your eyes, allergens such as pollen and dust mites on your hands can easily enter your eyes and cause allergic reactions. Symptoms such as redness, itchiness, and tearing of the eyes can become more severe and even require medical attention.
2. Understand the common causes of eye discomfort
2.1 Dry eyes
Dry eye syndrome is the main cause of dry eyes, foreign body sensation, and blurred vision. Prolonged use of electronic devices, a dry environment, and poor meibomian gland function can all contribute to dry eyes.
2.2 Eye strain
Prolonged use of the eyes at close range, such as reading a book, using a computer, playing with a mobile phone, etc., can easily lead to eye strain. Eye fatigue can cause discomfort such as dryness, soreness, and blurred vision.
2.3 Allergic conjunctivitis
Spring and autumn are the seasons with high incidence of allergies, and allergens such as pollen and dust mites can easily cause allergic conjunctivitis. Symptoms such as redness, itchiness, and tearing often plague people with allergies.
2.4 Foreign body into the eye
Foreign objects such as dust and sand particles get into the eyes, often causing eye discomfort. Prompt handling of foreign bodies and avoiding eye rubbing are key.
3. Proper ways to deal with eye discomfort
3.1 Avoid rubbing your eyes
No matter how uncomfortable your eyes are, never rub them with your hands. Rubbing your eyes not only doesn't solve the problem, but it can worsen the discomfort in the eyes.
3.2 Use saline or eye drops
When your eyes are dry, you can use preservative-free saline or artificial tear drops to help keep your eyes moist. Patients with allergic conjunctivitis can use anti-allergy eye drops under the guidance of a doctor.
3.3 Apply cold or hot compresses
When your eyes are itchy or red, you can use a clean towel to cool your eyes to help relieve discomfort. When you have eye fatigue, you can use a warm compress to promote blood circulation in the eye area and relieve fatigue.
3.4 Proper rest
After using your eyes for a long time, you should take a proper rest, close your eyes and recuperate, or look away for a few minutes to help your eyes recover. Follow the "20-20-20" rule: Every 20 minutes with your eyes, take a 20-second break and look 20 feet (about 6 meters) away.
3.5 Avoid allergens
People with allergies should try to avoid contact with allergens, such as wearing glasses when going out, to reduce eye irritation from pollen and dust mites.
3.6 Clean the eye area
If you have a foreign body in your eyes, do not rub your eyes, rinse them with water, or gently wipe them with a clean hand towel. If necessary, the eye can be rinsed with saline to ensure that the foreign body is completely removed.
4. How to protect your eyes
4.1 Eat a balanced diet
Eating foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, and minerals, such as carrots, spinach, oranges, etc., can help keep your eyes healthy.
4.2 Avoid overuse of your eyes
Arrange the time of eye use reasonably, avoid long-term close eye use, reduce the use time of electronic products, and maintain good eye habits.
4.3 Check your eyes regularly
Regular eye examinations are carried out to detect and treat eye problems in a timely manner and maintain the health of the eyes.
4.4 Pay attention to eye hygiene
Keep your hands clean and avoid direct contact with your eyes to prevent bacteria and viruses from entering your eyes and causing infection.
summary
The eyes are the windows to the soul, and it is essential to protect them. Although rubbing your eyes is a common habit, it can cause a variety of potential harm to your eyes. By understanding the dangers of rubbing your eyes and the causes of eye discomfort, we can take the right approach to alleviate discomfort and protect eye health. Remember, take care of your eyes and never rub them!
Remind the majority of netizens that eye health cannot be ignored, scientifically protect the eyes, and make the eyes brighter!
Resources
- Chinese Ophthalmological Society. "Eye Health & Care.
- Chinese Society of Ophthalmology. "Popular science knowledge for the prevention of eye diseases.