We understand the enormous amount of discomfort having irritants or foreign bodies trapped in the eyes could cause, and that is because the surface of the cornea has the second highest amount of sensory and pain receptors than any other part of the body, so it is exquisitely sensitive to even the slightest touch, scratch or injuries. Now, imagine when a foreign body trapped under the upper lids of your eyes, rubbing against or scratching the cornea every time the lids move or blink, making it urgent and necessary to remove the foreign bodies from the eyes.
We understand the sense of urgency that comes with such an amount of discomfort, and subconsciously, your first course of action would be to blow air into the eyes but do not and here is why;
DANGERS OF BLOWING AIR INTO THE EYES.
The following will buttress the point of how dangerous and potentially harmful blowing air into the eyes can be:
EYE INFECTIONS: Blowing air into the eyes may increase the risk of viral bacterial, fungal, and protozoan, especially if the person blowing the air is infected. These can lead to infections like conjunctivitis or even corneal ulcers.
EYE INJURIES: In worse-case scenarios, it may lead to severe injuries because blowing air into the eyes may not remove the foreign body, especially if it is in hidden areas of the eyes and if these foreign bodies get trapped for prolonged periods in the eyes it could lead to eye injuries.
EYE IRRITATIONS: Blowing air into the eyes causes the irritants and allergens from what someone ate to get into the eyes, leading to irritation and also reducing the quality of tears, leading to dryness and discomfort, especially for contact lens wearers
CORNEAL ABRASIONS: The pressure from the air blown into the eyes can cause slight scratches on the cornea, leading to pain, redness, and photo-phobia.
RETINAL DAMAGE: The increased pressure from blowing air can potentially damage the retina, leading to vision problems or retinal detachment.
Although blowing air into the eyes is a regular practice by many people, it doesn’t make it a correct practice. Therefore, to avoid these risks mentioned above, it is necessary to exercise caution when handling your eyes and avoid forcibly blowing air into them.
For any experience of vision problems or discomforts, visit us to consult an Optometrist at TREETOP VISION EYE CENTRE (TREVEC), the best eye clinic in Utako Abuja.
TREVEC CARES!!!
Thanks to Trevec for always educating us to be sensitive to seemingly minute matters having serious implications.
You’re welcome