Niamh Spence
We've all been there, perfectly done makeup and then you feel that annoying twitch in the corner of your eye and you're desperate to rub it.
It's not just a bad idea because you'll smudge your makeup, but it can also be a health risk. In fact, doctors actively warn against rubbing your eyes, and for one specific medical reason.
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Feeling the need to rub your eyes can be as simple as you've got dirt or dust in your eye or on your eyelash causing an irritation, but can also be an underlying sign of eye health too.
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According to Healthline, your eye rubbing can have an underlying cause as the website states: "Rubbing your eyes can mean many things. You might have an eye infection, allergies, or another health condition."
Infections like conjunctivitis can make us want to scratch our eyes, and whilst this infection is quite common and not usually very serious, it's the itchiness that can be the most annoying symptom.
Conjunctivitis is contagious though, so it's important not to try and itch our eyes as it can mean spreading the infection.
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Allergies and conditions like hay fever can also result in itchy eyes as a symptom, which can usually be treated by taking antihistamines.
Other conditions that can result in itchy eyes include eye strain, which can arise from looking at something like a phone or computer screen for too long, as well as dry eyes, which is when your eyes haven't produced enough tears to keep them lubricated, resulting in dry and often itchy eyes.
Ophthalmologist Dr. Imane Tarib has also warned about the dangers of eye rubbing on TikTok, as she told the social media platform that eye rubbing can cause conditions like keratoconus as well as making symptoms like dark circles, wrinkles and bloodshot eyes worse.
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In her TikTok clip, which has had over 19.9 million views, she showed viewers how if you absolutely can't help the itching, then how to do it safely. Dr Tarib's advice is to avoid direct contact and instead use the soft tip of a finger around the eyeball to relieve the itching. Also it's important to do it with clean and washed fingers, to prevent any infection or contamination.
If you do rub your eyes and start to experience any symptoms such as eye pain, light sensitivity, reduced or blurry vision, redness or inflammation or feelings of nausea and fatigue then seek medical help right away as it could be a sign of damage to the eye.