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Brilio.net - A few days ago, viral news spread about a young man who had to undergo eye surgery because he rubbed his eyes too often. Rubbing your eyes is a bad habit that is often ignored. Even though it has a momentary relief effect, if you do it excessively, rubbing your eyes can actually be risky for your eye health. If you continue to do this, rubbing your eyes can cause irritation, infection, and even permanent vision loss.
Unfortunately, there is not much information about the dangers of excessive eye rubbing. Lack of information causes people's self-awareness to remain low and they are ignorant of the dangers that lurk . Some signs or symptoms if someone has eye disease are swelling, redness and watering.
Apart from the symptoms mentioned above, below is a complete explanation of the dangers of rubbing your eyes, symptoms and how to prevent it, as reported by brilio.net from various sources, Wednesday (29/5).
5 Dangers of excessive eye rubbing.
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Excessive eye rubbing can cause various serious health problems. This is because when you rub your eyes, dirt, germs and viruses can enter the eyes, triggering the risk of other diseases. Some of the dangers of excessive eye rubbing include:
1. Irritation.
Rubbing your eyes excessively can cause eye irritation. When you rub your eyes with unclean hands, you indirectly introduce dirt and germs into the sensitive eye area, which can cause irritation and infection. In addition, when you rub your eyes vigorously or repeatedly, the resulting friction can cause irritation to the skin around the eyes and the surface of the eyes themselves. Too much friction can damage the thin layer that protects the eyes, causing inflammation and redness.
2. Corneal damage.
Rubbing your eyes excessively can cause damage to the cornea. Pressure exerted on the surface of the eye can cause excessive friction on the cornea. This thin and transparent layer in front of the eyes is susceptible to damage due to harsh and repeated friction. Repeated friction on the cornea can cause inflammation and irritation of the surrounding tissue. This condition can cause significant swelling, redness, and discomfort.
3. Infection.
Rubbing your eyes roughly or repeatedly can damage the eye's protective layers, such as the tear layer which keeps the eyes moist and protects them from germs. When this layer is damaged, the eyes become more susceptible to infection. In addition, when you rub your eyes with unclean hands, you transfer bacteria and germs to the surface of your eyes. Including germs that can cause eye infections.
In addition, when you rub your eyes excessively, you may be carrying foreign objects such as dust or other small particles that can get trapped in your eyes. These objects can carry germs or bacteria that can cause infections when transferred to the eyes.
4. Dry eyes.
Excessive eye rubbing can cause dry eyes. This is because excessive rubbing of the eyes can disrupt the natural production of tears or interfere with lubrication around the eyes. Tears are an essential fluid to keep the eyes moist, clean foreign particles, and maintain the health of the eye surface. Disorders in the production or distribution of tears can cause dry eyes.
5. Glaucoma.
Rubbing your eyes excessively can indirectly cause glaucoma. This is because the movement of rubbing the eyes will increase pressure in the eyes, which can worsen the condition of glaucoma or increase a person's risk of developing glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a type of eye disease that is triggered by damage to the optic nerve. Usually this disease occurs due to high intraocular pressure. This pressure will damage the nerve fibers in the optic nerve, which can ultimately cause vision loss, especially in the peripheral field of vision.
(Intern/Zidan Fajri)
Causes eye irritation and infection.
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The causes of eye irritation and infection can be triggered by various factors. One factor is rubbing your eyes excessively and roughly, resulting in a lot of dirt getting into the eye area, leading to irritation.
Other factors include contact with foreign objects such as dust or animal hair, bacterial or viral infections, allergic reactions to pollen or certain chemicals, use of chemical products that are not suitable for the eyes, and improper use of contact lenses.
Apart from that, extreme environments such as excessive exposure to sunlight or strong winds can also be a risk factor for eye irritation. Maintaining cleanliness, avoiding contact with foreign objects or dangerous chemicals, and managing allergies well are important steps to prevent eye irritation and infections.
Symptoms of irritated eyes.
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Symptoms of irritated eyes can vary depending on the cause. Excessive eye rubbing can also trigger eye irritation. Some signs of irritated eyes include:
- Itching or burning sensation
- Eyes turn reddish
- Swelling of the eyelids
- Tears come out continuously
- Sensitive to light
- Feeling that there is a foreign object in the eye
Symptoms of eye infection.
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Symptoms of eye infections can vary depending on the type of infection, but common symptoms of irritated eyes include:
- Red eye
- Itching or burning sensation
- Swelling in the area around the eyes
- Clear to yellowish liquid comes out
- Feels uncomfortable when blinking
- Sensitive to light
- Vision becomes blurry or foggy
How to treat irritated eyes.
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If you experience some of the symptoms above, immediately take appropriate treatment steps. You can treat irritated eyes in several ways, including the following:
1. Immediately rinse eyes with clean water.
Rinse the eyes carefully using clean water or a sterile eye solution that can remove irritants or foreign objects that may have entered the eyes. This is the first step you should take when your eyes feel irritated.
2. Cold compress.
Use a cold compress with a clean cloth or an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel. Place this cold compress over closed eyes for a few minutes to relieve swelling and reduce irritation.
3. Instill eye drops.
Use artificial eye drops to help moisturize and relieve eye irritation. Make sure the eye drops do not contain chemicals that can worsen irritation.
4. Avoid rubbing your eyes.
Although rubbing your eyes may provide some momentary relief, it can worsen the irritation and introduce more germs to the eyes. Avoid rubbing or rubbing your eyes.
5. Avoid factors that trigger irritation.
If you know what causes eye irritation, avoid these trigger factors as much as possible. For example, avoid contact with dust or pollen if you are allergic to it.
(brl/jad)
