Featured Image Credit: Lourdes Balduque / Getty
Thanks to expert advice circulating on social media, we're getting better at paying attention to our eye health.
From knowing which settings to change on our iPhone to help reduce eye strain to understanding when to see a specialist about eye floaters and flashes.
But as summer approaches and pollen counts rise, there is one common habit an eye surgeon is urging people to stop.
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Hay fever affects nearly half of the UK population, and Allergy UK notes that the country has some of the highest rates of allergy in the world. Watery, itchy and irritated eyes are among the most commonly reported symptoms, and for many, the instinct for instant relief is to rub them.
However, according to Mohammad Dehabadi, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at OCL Vision (via the Daily Mirror), it is doing more harm than good.
"With high pollen counts, we see a lot more patients with red, itchy and uncomfortable eyes, and in some cases even a temporary reduction in vision," he said. "It’s very tempting to rub them but that’s exactly what you should try to avoid.”
The problem is not a one-off rub but the long-term effects of doing it repeatedly throughout the day, day after day, across an entire allergy season.
"Repeated rubbing creates micro-trauma which can affect the skin and the eye itself," the scientist explained. "Over time, that can contribute to changes around the eyelids and increase irritation, rather than relieve it.”
The delicate skin surrounding the eye is quite vulnerable, and excessive rubbing can, in turn, affect the cornea, which focuses light and plays a key role in our vision.
In some cases, excessive rubbing can cause permanent changes in the cornea that affect our eyesight.
“Allergies make the eyes more sensitive so people end up rubbing them repeatedly throughout the day," Dehabadi added. "Unfortunately, that can make the symptoms worse and prolong the problem.”
Thankfully, there is a safer way to relieve irritated eyes. Things like lubricating eye drops and antihistamines can bring discomforting symptoms under control and reduce the urge to rub in the first place.
Dehabadi advised: “Getting on top of the symptoms is key. Using the right drops regularly can make a big difference and reduce the urge to rub your eyes.”
For anyone whose symptoms are not responding to over-the-counter treatments, he advises seeking further guidance sooner rather than later, as 'stronger treatments may be needed.'
