Rubbing Eyes After an Insect Falls In Can Lead to Blindness, Doctors Advise: Do This Instead

Kathmandu. When a tiny insect gets into the eye and causes irritation, many people immediately resort to rubbing. However, doctors warn that this can cause serious damage.

A man from Fujian Province in China was riding his bicycle when a tiny insect suddenly fell into his eye. He immediately rubbed his eye with his hand. After a while, the discomfort subsided. However, in the days that followed, his eye became red, started to hurt, he found it difficult to look at light, and his eye began to water. Upon visiting a hospital and undergoing an examination, it was confirmed that he had developed a bacterial corneal ulcer, and his vision was found to be only 0.04 — meaning he had reached a state of near blindness.

According to doctors, this serious condition was caused by rubbing the eye forcefully with his hand after a tiny insect fell into it. The body of an insect carries numerous microbes and bacteria. When a person rubs an eye that has an insect in it, toxic substances from the insect’s body or fragments of the crushed insect can directly wound the surface of the eye, creating an opportunity for microbes to invade.

Doctors suggest that if symptoms such as pain, a burning sensation, redness, intolerance to light, watery eyes, excessive discharge, blurred vision, or the appearance of white spots on the surface of the eye appear, one should immediately visit a hospital.

What to Do If an Insect Falls into the Eye?

According to doctors, there is no need to panic if a small insect falls into the eye. It is advised not to rub the eye with the hand and to follow these steps:

1. Blink Slowly: After an insect falls in, remain calm and, instead of rubbing forcefully with the hand, blink slowly. The flow of tears may help flush the insect out along with the tears.
2. Wash the Eye Immediately: If discomfort persists even after blinking, wash the eye with clean water or saline solution. While washing, gently rotate the eyeball so the water can clean any foreign objects from the surface of the eye.
3. Seek Prompt Treatment: If after washing the eye, discomfort remains, pain increases, or symptoms such as an inability to tolerate light persist, one should immediately visit an eye hospital to consult and receive treatment from a specialist. Self-medication must be avoided.

Doctors affirm that the saying “hands ruin the eyes” holds true. It is not just for insects; if any foreign object enters the eye, one must not rub it with the hand. Urging people not to consider it a small problem and risk losing precious treatment time, doctors have warned that delaying can lead to a state of regret.