We're often told by our elders that rubbing our eyes is an extremely bad habit. Of course, we'd simply shrug the warning off and continue to do the opposite of what we're told. Most of the time, we'd rub our eyes to feel refreshed or as an attempt to remove any dust.
While the habit seems harmless and in a way pleasurable, rubbing your eyes actually does more harm than good.
1. You'd Risk Getting An Infection
Having touched most of the surfaces with your hands, who knows what sorts of germs that can be transferred to your eyes from rubbing them. Even if you've made sure your hands are squeaky clean, there's no guarantee that there won't be germs lying around your skin.
That being said, if you still need to touch your eyes, always remember to wash or disinfect your hands with soap for at least 30 seconds before drying them with a clean towel.
2. Say Hello to Dark Circles
You may think that dark circles aren't caused by rubbing your eyes. However, that's not entirely true because this habit does in a way cause circles to appear.
As the skin around the eyes is the thinnest, you'd risk damaging the tiny blood vessels underneath the surface if you frequently rub them.
How Can You Stop This?
Even though it's a tough habit to break, a change is necessary for the better.
If your eyes keep itching and you can't refrain yourself from rubbing, seek help with an optometrist to find out what's wrong. You might be prescribed with eye drops to ease the itchiness.