WUHAN: A man here, in Hubei province, suffered a retinal detachment after repeatedly slapping his twitching right eyelid because he believed it was an omen of bad luck, the
South China Morning Post reported recently.
The man, identified only as Le, had experienced a twitching right eyelid for several days and, after rest and warm compresses failed to stop it, searched online instead of seeking medical advice, where he found claims that slapping the eyelid could "drive away bad luck".
Le reportedly slapped the area around his right eye for three days until the twitching stopped, but his vision later narrowed dramatically, leaving him able to see only straight ahead before doctors diagnosed a retinal detachment.
Surgeons successfully restored his vision, while doctors said the retina is, on average, less than 0.3mm thick and that forceful slapping can transmit impact through the eyeball, increasing the risk of a retinal tear.
Doctors said most short-term eyelid twitching is caused by eye strain, lack of sleep or stress and usually resolves with rest, but advised seeking medical attention if symptoms last longer than a week, spread, or affect the cheeks or corners of the mouth.
The incident, which attracted widespread discussion on mainland Chinese social media, comes amid continued attention on superstition-related cases in China, including a woman in Hunan province who reportedly delayed treatment for three years after believing a twitching eyelid signalled good luck, and a woman in Taiwan who reportedly won NT$1 million (US$31,400) on a scratch card after acting on the same belief.
