The habit of scratching your eyes frequently may be caused by a number of factors, including keratoconusan eye disease that causes thinning and deformation of the cornea, as well as other problems such as infections and allergies. This problem and others can directly affect vision and even cause blindness, raising doubts about the safest way to scratch your eyes.
Among the main causes of itchy eyes are allergies, dry eyes, conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, pollution and, he explains. Marcelo Guedesophthalmologist at the Advanced Eye Clinic at CNN Brazil. For the problem to be resolved efficiently, it is necessary to correctly identify the cause.
According to the doctor, scratching your eyes can cause damage to the cornea, increase inflammation, encourage infections and even contribute to diseases such as keratoconus. “In addition, constant friction on the corneas can worsen some existing allergies and irritations”, he points out.
Keratoconus treatment
The eyepiece in which the cornea becomes thinner and deformed, taking on a shape similar to a cone. This causes blurred vision, increasing degree and progressive visual distortion.
There are some signs of the disease that can appear between adolescence and early adulthood. They are:
- blurred or distorted vision;
- light sensitivity;
- difficulty seeing at night;
- frequent changing of glasses prescription.
According to Marcelo Guedes, keratoconus is not usually reversed naturally, but today there are treatments capable of stabilizing the disease and improving the patient’s visual quality. “The earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chances of controlling progression”, he states.
Among the forms of treatment is crosslinking. “It is a procedure performed to strengthen the cornea and prevent the progression of keratoconus”, explains the professional.
“It uses riboflavin (vitamin B2) associated with ultraviolet light to increase the resistance of corneal fibers. It is considered a safe and effective procedure when well indicated and carried out by a specialist”, he continues.
Are there safe ways to scratch your eyes?
The ophthalmologist states that it is important that there is no friction in the eyes in any way. “The ideal is to avoid scratching your eyes”, he advises.
“When there is irritation or itching, it is recommended to look for the cause of the problem and use lubricating or anti-allergy eye drops prescribed by the ophthalmologist. Cold compresses can also help alleviate symptoms without causing damage to the eyes”, he explains.
