Chronic eye rubbing has been linked to keratoconus and can cause exacerbation of the disease. The habit should be broken, which is especially started in childhood.

While rubbing eyes can be related to an ocular condition, it can also arise out of a familial habit. Rubbing eyes causes corneal micro-traumas and leads to corneal thinning and flattening when it is done perpetually, especially in patients with genetic predisposition. This corneal disorder is called keratoconus, which is a progressive corneal disease affecting both eyes and often characterized with asymmetry, non-inflammation, corneal tissue deterioration as well as flattening, thinning and bulging in corneal apex.

People with Down syndrome are known to rub their eyes frequently and therefore, they suffer from keratoconus more commonly. Reversely, two thirds of patients with keratoconus are seen to rub their eyes frequently. This indicates a strong link between rubbing eyes and keratoconus, which is a progressive corneal disease. Studies demonstrate that eye rubbing also affects ocular pressure. 

Rubbing eyes not only cause corneal irritation but also reported to increase ocular pressure secondary to compression on the eye. The pressure can increase by 10 folds as a result of rubbing eyes. In case of chronic rubbing, it may trigger progression of the ocular diseases secondary to high intraocular pressure. This is very crucial for patients with glaucoma. On the other hand, increased pressure affects cornea profoundly, as corneal thickness decreases in keratoconus. To summarize, rubbing eyes cause not only corneal irritation, but also increased intraocular pressure; resulting in development or progression of keratoconus.

Intraocular pressure increases quickly by yoga inversions, heavy lifting, sleeping face down, playing instruments such as trumpets, diving and swimming below the surface. What should be done? Avoid rubbing your eyes. Absolutely see an ophthalmologist if you rub your eyes due to ocular irritation or other similar conditions. Histamine secretion is boosted while rubbing eyes due to itching, while itching provokes rubbing. Therefore, we tend to keep rubbing our eyes. Have your children examined by an ophthalmologist if s/he rubs her/his eyes in a chronic way. Eye rubbing may be due to ocular allergies, dry eye, infections or foreign bodies and all these conditions should be managed.

Assoc. Prof. Faik ORUÇOĞLU, M.D.