# What does rubbing eyes accomplish, physiologically?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rubbing-eyes-accomplish-physiologically/942101>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 14, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rubbing-eyes-accomplish-physiologically/942101 "2021-05-14T18:50:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rubbing-eyes-accomplish-physiologically/942101/1 "2021-05-14T18:50:06Z")

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It’s SOP for people facing short term eye-stress and such to rub their eyes, and it does work much of the time (at least short term).

What exactly is being done from a physiological standpoint? The only possibilities I can think of are either increasing some sort of fluid, or possibly just a distracting pressure.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rubbing-eyes-accomplish-physiologically/942101/2 "2021-05-15T12:13:38Z")

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[The oculocardiac reflex.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculocardiac_reflex) maybe?

> The **Oculocardiac reflex** , also known as **Aschner phenomenon** , **Aschner reflex** , or **Aschner–Dagnini reflex** , is a decrease in [pulse rate](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_rate)associated with traction applied to [extraocular muscles](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraocular_muscles) and/or compression of the [eyeball](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_eyeball).

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rubbing-eyes-accomplish-physiologically/942101/3 "2021-05-15T12:59:46Z")

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One might rub for different reasons. It might help remove a foreign body, shift floaters, increase blood flow or reposition a contact lens. It isn’t so effective that people keep rubbing continuously, unless you plan on taking the red eye to Rochester.

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rubbing-eyes-accomplish-physiologically/942101/4 "2021-05-17T17:45:48Z")

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You may also be in the beginning stages of “dry eye”.