Eye rubbing can cause structural damage to the eye called keratoconus. This leaves the patient with structural abnormalities in the eye which causes poor vision and can lead to astigmatism, which you may have more commonly heard of.
Rubbing your eyes is one habit that could cause astigmatism. In fact, frequent rubbing could eventually change the shape of your corneas. Rubbing also increases your risk of keratoconus, a condition that makes the corneas thin and cone-shaped.
What causes astigmatism? Astigmatism happens when your cornea or lens has a different shape than normal. The shape makes light bend differently as it enters your eye, causing a refractive error. Doctors don't know what causes astigmatism, and there's no way to prevent it.
Astigmatism frequently worsens with age. Your cornea can become more irregular due to pressure from your eyelids as they lose muscle tone. Astigmatism generally stays stable until your turn 50. After then, your lens curvature progressively worsens each decade.
Rubbing your eyes can cause broken blood vessels, dark circles, and wrinkles. Moreover, rubbing your eyes can put pressure on the cornea, the transparent dome covering the front of your eye. This rubbing can cause a condition called keratoconus, where the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape.
The skin around our eyes is very thin and delicate. Rubbing the eyes can result in damage to the blood vessels under the skin's surface. This may cause the vessels to break and bleed.
Rubbing stimulates the eyes' lacrimal glands, which creates lubrication and gives some relief. And there's more than just the feeling of an itch vanquished, pressure on the eyes actually stimulates the vagus nerve.
Can I correct astigmatism? Yes, we can correct astigmatism with different methods. The more common is using eyeglasses, but we can also use refractive surgery, including LASIK, ICL, and PRK.
Avoid glare on TV and computer screens. Place your TV or computer screen where lights do not reflect on the screen. Some people find it easier to work on a computer in a dimly lit room. Special non-glare screens that fit over the computer screen also may help.
Astigmatism will not go away on its own. It will either stay the same or get worse with age. While this reality can seem daunting, the good news is that it can be easily corrected.
One natural way to treat astigmatism is to be aware of your head tilting. If you're tilting to one side, try tilting your head in the opposite direction of what feels most comfortable. It will feel uncomfortable at first. Your muscles are used to doing the wrong thing and need retraining.
Astigmatism does not always require the use of glasses. A person can have slight astigmatism and still see clearly. Similar to the rest of the body, the eyes change over time, so regular eye checks with your local optometrist are of importance.
Astigmatism is usually caused by your cornea having an irregular shape. Eye care specialists call this corneal astigmatism. You can also have lenticular astigmatism, where the lens in your eye has an irregular shape. Lenticular astigmatism is often caused by cataracts.
Overuse of Electronic Devices: The excessive use of smartphones, tablets, computers, and other electronic devices could lead to astigmatism, as well as dry eye. Improper Light Levels: Watching TV or using electronic screens in the dark can cause eye strain and eye fatigue and possibly be a cause for astigmatism.
Those with astigmatism see light differently. Light rays may look streaky or smeared with a high glare, which makes it difficult to focus. Thus, sensitivity to light indicates astigmatism in children's eyes. Take your child to an optometrist for an eye exam if they appear to have light sensitivity.
Several eye conditions are associated with astigmatism. The most common of these being a corneal thinning eye disease known as keratoconus. As the keratoconus progresses, it can cause astigmatism to get worse.
Astigmatism (ah-stig-mah-tiz-uhm) is probably one of the most misunderstood eye conditions. Even the name itself is challenging and is often incorrectly called “stigmatism”. Some people think astigmatism is more serious than it actually is. Astigmatism is not a disease.
Wearing glasses can't make astigmatism worse, even if they are the wrong prescription. Astigmatism is caused by the shape of the eye's cornea or lens, and glasses can't change those.
Unlike myopia and hypermetropia, astigmatism does not usually evolve naturally with age. It's therefore important, when there's a sudden increase in astigmatism in children or young patients, to consult an ophthalmologist to rule out keratoconus.
The average amount of astigmatism was also significantly increased in dry eye compared to that in normal eyes (P = 0.02).
For most people, laser surgery corrects the astigmatism permanently, which means they are cured of this condition. Laser surgery requires very little time in the operating room and minimal recovery at home. Many people who undergo LASIK return to work a day or two after the procedure.
Avoid rubbing your eyes for relief
If you feel the need to rub your eyes, place a cool, damp washcloth over closed your eyes until the sensation subsides. You can also apply artificial tears or lubricant eye drops until you can visit your eye doctor to evaluate the cause of the itching.
Using your thumbs, gently press on the area right above the inner corner of the eyes where the crease of your lid begins. Press slowly and release. Repeat this exercise 5 times. By doing this, you're helping to relieve pressure in between your eyes.