Why we rub, why it matters, and what to do instead

The other day, I went to my ophthalmologist and he told me something I wasn’t expecting:

“Your cornea is rather thin.”

Thin?

When I think of thin, I think of weight. A thin coat of nail polish. A thin jacket for that awkward in-between season.

But a thin cornea?

Excuse me, doctor?

Then came the part that really got my attention.

He told me that my eye rubbing could be contributing to it.

My eye rubbing?!

Like most people, I’ve rubbed my eyes without giving it much thought. They itch, they’re tired, something gets in them - and your hand instinctively heads straight for your face.

But our eyes are remarkably delicate, and repeatedly rubbing them - especially rubbing hard - can put mechanical stress on the cornea and may contribute to changes in its shape and structure.

Suddenly, that innocent little eye rub didn’t seem quite so innocent.

Why Do We Rub Our Eyes Anyway?

There are a million reasons.

Your mascara flakes and a tiny particle lands in your eye. Your eyelash extensions are irritating your lids. You’ve been staring at your computer for eight hours. Pollen season has arrived with a vengeance. Your eyes feel dry. You’re exhausted. Or your hormones have you crying over something that absolutely did not make you cry yesterday.

Rub, rub, rub.

It feels good - temporarily. Rubbing can provide a momentary sense of relief when eyes are itchy or uncomfortable.

And it certainly isn’t just children who do it.

The problem is that the thing that feels soothing in the moment may not be particularly kind to your eyes in the long run.

Your Cornea Is Not a Windshield

The cornea is the clear, curved tissue at the very front of the eye. It plays an enormously important role in focusing light and helping us see clearly.

And it is not something we want to repeatedly push, pull and distort.

Frequent or vigorous eye rubbing has been associated with corneal changes and is particularly concerning in conditions such as keratoconus, in which the cornea progressively thins and changes shape.

That doesn’t mean that rubbing your eye once because an eyelash landed in it will suddenly damage your vision. But chronic, forceful rubbing is a habit worth breaking, particularly if you already have allergies, dry eye, corneal abnormalities or a tendency to rub frequently.

My ophthalmologist certainly got my attention.

And Then There Are Your Hands…

Here’s another reason to keep your fingers away from your eyes:

Think about everything you touched today.

Your phone. A keyboard. A subway pole. A shopping cart. A door handle. Your handbag. Maybe the dog.

And then…your eye?

Our hands can carry microorganisms and debris. Touching and rubbing the eyes can transfer them to the eye area and potentially contribute to irritation or infection.

And those beautiful new manicured nails aren’t exactly ophthalmic instruments, either. A fingernail or foreign particle can potentially scratch the corneal surface.

Suddenly the eye rub isn’t sounding quite so satisfying.

Makeup Can Be Part of the Story, Too

This is where beauty and eye wellness collide.

Old eye makeup can accumulate debris and microorganisms. Flaking mascara can migrate toward the ocular surface. Makeup brushes that haven’t been washed recently can repeatedly introduce residue and allergens around the eyes.

And when something starts itching?

We rub.

This is one of the reasons we talk so much at Eyes Are The Story about the relationship between beauty habits and eye health. What we put around our eyes—and how we use, remove, clean and replace those products—matters.

Beauty shouldn’t create the irritation that makes you want to rub your eyes in the first place.

So…What Do You Do Instead?

Telling someone “Don’t rub your eyes” is a little like saying “Don’t scratch an itch.”

Great advice. Harder in practice.

So rather than simply fighting the instinct, give your eyes another option.

Try these instead:

• Reach for a cool, damp compress. It can soothe itchy or irritated eyes without the friction and pressure of rubbing.
• Consider lubricating eye drops. Ask your eye care professional which drops are appropriate for your eyes and symptoms.
• Replace your eye makeup regularly. Eye cosmetics can accumulate bacteria, oils and debris over time. Mascara deserves particular attention because its applicator repeatedly travels between your lashes and the product tube.
• Identify your triggers. Pollen, dust, mold, pet dander and other environmental allergens may be behind that irresistible urge to rub.
• Wash your makeup brushes at least weekly. Brushes collect makeup residue, skin oils, bacteria and allergens—and then bring them right back to the eye area.
• Remove eye makeup gently every night. Don’t aggressively scrub or tug at the delicate eyelids and lashes. Let an appropriate eye-makeup remover do the work.
• See your eye care professional if itching or irritation persists. Constantly wanting to rub your eyes can be a clue that something else—dry eye, allergy, eyelid inflammation or another condition—needs attention. 

And don’t wait until your eyes hurt to think about their health. Schedule a comprehensive eye examination every year, or as often as your eye care professional recommends.

A New Beauty Rule: Hands Off the EYES

So, thank you, doctor.

I am now extremely conscious every time my hand starts migrating toward my eye.

But perhaps that’s a good thing.

We spend an extraordinary amount of time thinking about how our eyes look - the mascara, the liner, the shadow, the lashes.

Maybe it’s time we spend just as much time thinking about how our eyes feel.

Your eyes may itch.
Your instinct may be to rub.

But there are better ways to show your EYES a little love. 👁️

And if something in your beauty routine repeatedly makes you want to rub your eyes, perhaps the question isn’t simply how to stop rubbing. It’s why your eyes are asking you to rub in the first place.

 Amy - Founder, Èyes Are The Story