Callum Jones
It is a thing a lot of us are guilty of, but you may want to think twice before moving your hands towards your eyes next time around.
I am, of course, talking about rubbing your eyes - something a lot of us don't even realise we are doing half of the time.
I know, I know - I hear what you are saying. The hay fever suffers among us will find it extremely difficult to not rub their eyeballs when they are being an irritant nuisance, which is particularly unfortunate.
However, for those of you that can find a way of not rubbing your eyes, you'll likely notice some benefits.
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Dr Rupa Wong M.D has become a bit of a TikTok star in recent months, providing health advice and tips to those who may require it.
And with the ever-increasing demand for a doctors appointment in the UK, Dr Wong's short clips have certainly provided useful advice to many across the country struggling to see a doc face-to-face.
Though her website states to 'consult your physician before beginning any new treatment regimen'.
Now, Dr Wong is warning those who are guilty of rubbing their eyes often to think twice from now on.
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In a short 13-second clip, the doctor showed an MRI scan where the patient was rubbing their eyes.
The footage provided a perfect illustration of how the eyeball becomes extremely distorted.
Dr Wong explained: "This actually weakens the cornea and can misshape leading to further problems down the road."
In on-screen text, she added: "Bottom line - stop rubbing your eyes!"
Many users have flocked to the comment section of the video, with the vast majority learning something new today.
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"Learn from me someone who has keratoconus.. DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES," one person wrote.
According to the NHS, 'keratoconus is a condition of the eye where the cornea is conical or cone shaped. The normally round, dome shaped cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye, through which we focus) gradually thins and stretches to a cone shape'.
This, in turn, 'makes the eyes more short sighted and the irregular shape leads to distorted and blurred vision'.
A post added to the health blog Banner Health further explained why rubbing your eyes is bad for you.
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"When you rub your eyes, you risk scratching your cornea," a post by Stephanie Thurrott read.
She added: "Over time, these scratches can add up and damage your cornea. Rubbing can also make your cornea thinner."
So there you have it, think twice next time you go to rubs those eyes.