Eye Rubbing!!

[Lynn White]

Hehe.. well anything cooling will help and the aversion therapy with chillies (or indeed garlic!) sure does as well!!

Another reason why eye rubbing is bad is that you are essentially increasing the internal pressure of your eye when you already have corneal thinning. KC eye rubbers tend to rub hard and this puts increased pressure on an already weakened structure.

[Lesley Foster]

I hate to admit it but I am a terrible eye rubber and yes I do rub them even with my lenses in although not as often or as hard as when I don't have them in. I usually give my eyes a good rub when I take the lenses out. I also find the insides of my lower lids along the lash line get very itchy and I scratch them like crazy. I know I shouldn't do it but old hanits die hard.

Lesley.

[John W]

I have some ways to stop it.

The soft lenses are a friggin nightmare for drying the eyes out and making them itch, but the trick i have found is it is only really the corner of the eye that itches the most. So, I gently rub the corner (Tear duct corner) of the eye.

Or, ifits prolific hurt somewhere elese on your body I find pinching the top of your hand a good divert.

Finally, eye drops help.

I asked my optom about eye rubbing, he said its not known whether rubbing can make it worse, just many believe that it will

[piper]

If you MUST rub......if you are driven to rub your eyes the way a goose is driven to migrate ahead of the season, the way an ivy plant WILL find a way to climb.....then read on.

Close your eyes, firmly. use the CUPPED palm of your hand, and rub up and down with primarily the heel of your hand and fingertips in contact with your face, virtually NO CONTACT
WITH YOUR EYELIDS .........Ahhhhh, that feels so good, your entire face knows you are rubbing your eye, as it is bounded by contact with your hand. I find this soothing. As there is no added frontal pressure to the eyelid, eye, graft, etc it is probably as safe as actually manipulating the eyelid. I think, in my case, the brain is fooled into thinking that I am rubbing my eye as the entire area feels as though it has been touched, even though it is just the perimeter.

I can keep my hands away all day, but when I take out my non-graft contact before bed, I'm like the migrating goose, too.

Piper

[tommy.dean]

When i was able to wear contacts i used to put around 3 minims artificial tear (prepay nhs cert, and i ordered round 10 boxes every few weeks) full units in each eye this rinsed them out then i used to wash my face well making sure round my eyelids was clean and this used to relives my eyes and made them feel alot better. Also i used to take anti-histamine (laratadine) every day. Hope this helps .
tom

[tommy.dean]

also visco tears gell from the doc its a watery cool gell and dosnt leave any sticky feeling.
tom

[Sweet]

Hehe i do rub them sometimes when i'm really tired and i don't notice! Luckily for me it isn't the grafted eye that i do this with!

I find as Ali has said that a cold flannel really helps, as does really hot fingers pressed lightly over the top. Steam is also something really useful, either a bowl of hot water or sitting in the bath! (Loads of creamy pink Lush bath products not essential but good for taking your mind of your eyes!!)

Eye drops are brilliant as well, i have a whole dressing table drawer full of essential lens solutions and eye drops. i also have some anaesthetic and steroid eye drops though have been using these very sparily lately.

Hoping you find something that helps!

Sweet X x X

[Lisa Nixon]

Another frantic eye rubber here. I just can't help it. I rub my left eye more, grafted 4 yrs ago, but have started rubbing my right eye which still has the stitches in. They really do drive you mad!

[Paul Morgan]

I too have found that since using Systane (I must order some more) the urge to rub has lessened, however as and when I simply can't help myself, I find rubbing the edge of the eye right next to the upper nose is pretty good.

Don't actually touch the eyes or the lens but it seems to do the job.

Now why do I feel embarrassed???

[Simon Hare]

i didn't realise i did rub my eyes alot, until my 8 year old step-daughter asked why i do it so much and for so long.

lo and behold, the next day i see this post.

i will have to keep it in check from now on, and i have asked my family to tell me when i'm doing it, it makes me feel like a nail-biter or secret smoker lol