Good for you, bad for you

By Amy Johnson

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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Amy Johnson

Itchy, itchy eyes: It may be tempting to your rub eyes when stricken with seasonal allergies but the immediate relief could lead to permanent damage.

 Ragweed, pollen, mold — the list goes on and on. Allergy season in Kansas is a hellish time for some. But one of your most natural reactions to itchy eyes — rubbing them — will only make things worse.

 Rubbing your itchy eyes causes a far greater allergic reaction, says Lawrence optometrist Aaron Schwindt. Rubbing eyes causes a rupturing of mast cells in the eye, which creates more inflammation and more irritation.

 In addition to causing more irritation, eye rubbing may cause serious damage. Studies have indicated that continual eye rubbing may cause thinning of the cornea, which can lead to keratoconus. This disease produces a cone-shaped bulge in the middle of the eye after the cornea has thinned.

 Schwindt says rubbing your eyes gently to remoisturize them isn’t bad, it’s just aggressively rubbing them that’s bad for you. He also says to keep in mind that anything you might pick up on your hands can get into your system. If you don’t have any eye drops around to ease the itching, Schwindt says to try putting a cool compress over your eyes to soothe them.

VERDICT: BAD FOR YOU

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