Superstition Over Eye Twitch Leaves Chinese Man With Damaged Vision

A man in central China suffered a serious eye injury and lost vision after repeatedly slapping his twitching right eyelid because he believed it was a sign of impending bad luck. The man, identified only by his surname Le, lives in Wuhan in Hubei province and had been experiencing persistent twitching in his right eye for several days. What began as a relatively common eye condition eventually turned into a medical emergency requiring surgery after he tried an unusual method to stop the twitching.

Le’s concern was reportedly linked to a popular Chinese superstition that associates twitching of the left eye with wealth and good fortune, while twitching of the right eye is believed to signal disaster or bad luck. Worried by the repeated movement of his right eyelid, he initially tried resting his eyes and applying warm compresses to the affected area. However, when the twitching continued despite these measures, he became increasingly anxious about what he believed the symptom might mean.

Unable to stop the twitching, Le began repeatedly slapping the area around his right eye in an attempt to make the movement disappear. He continued doing so for three days, subjecting the eye and the surrounding area to repeated physical force. Although the twitching eventually stopped, the apparent relief was short-lived, as he soon began experiencing a much more serious problem with his vision.

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After the repeated slapping, Le noticed a significant deterioration in his eyesight, prompting him to seek medical attention. Doctors who examined him found that he had suffered a retinal detachment, a serious condition in which the retina separates from the tissues supporting it. The injury required surgical treatment, highlighting how repeated trauma to a sensitive part of the body can result in severe and potentially lasting consequences.

The incident has drawn attention because it began with a common symptom that is often temporary but escalated because of the man’s response to it. Eye twitching can occur for several reasons, including tiredness, stress or eye strain, but repeatedly striking the eye can cause significant damage. Le’s experience demonstrates the risks of using physical force or unverified methods to deal with persistent health symptoms.

The case serves as a warning against allowing superstition to guide decisions involving personal health and medical symptoms. While cultural beliefs and traditional sayings remain common in many societies, persistent or unusual symptoms should be assessed carefully rather than treated through potentially harmful actions. Le’s attempt to prevent what he feared was bad luck ultimately caused a real medical emergency and resulted in the loss of vision that required surgical intervention.

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