BEIJING: A superstitious man in central China suffered a retinal detachment after repeatedly slapping his twitching right eyelid, fearing it was an omen of misfortune.
The belief stems from a popular Chinese saying: “A twitching left eye brings wealth, while a twitching right eye brings disaster.”
The man, identified only as Le, lives in Wuhan in Hubei province. He had been troubled by a twitching right eyelid for several days. Resting his eyes and applying warm compresses brought no relief.
Convinced the twitching was a bad omen, he grew increasingly anxious and turned to the internet for a diagnosis rather than a doctor. There, he found claims that slapping the eyelid could “drive away bad luck”.
Some elderly people in China also believe that sticking a strip of white paper onto the eyelid can stop the twitching.
According to local newspaper Changjiang Daily, Le slapped the area around his right eye for three days. The twitching eventually stopped, but a far more serious problem emerged.
His vision narrowed dramatically until he could see only straight ahead, with his peripheral vision on both sides disappeared entirely.
Le sought medical help and was diagnosed with retinal detachment. After surgery, doctors were able to restore his vision.
Doctors say the human retina is less than 0.3mm thick on average, and forceful slapping can send the impact through the eyeball, increasing the risk of retinal tear.
Le has not commented publicly on the incident, which quickly became a talking point on mainland social media.
One online observer quipped: “Le really did make the old saying about a twitching right eye bringing disaster come true.”
While another said: “Eyelid twitching is a warning from the body, not a prediction of disaster. Believe in science, not superstition.”
Doctors said most short-term eyelid twitching is linked to eye strain, lack of sleep or stress, and usually eases with rest.
But if the twitching lasts more than a week, spreads, or affects the cheeks or corners of the mouth, medical attention should be sought.
The case is not the first time such superstitions have drawn public attention in China.
A woman in central Hunan province reportedly delayed treatment for three years after her left eyelid began twitching, believing it was a sign of good luck. By June, the condition had worsened into facial spasms affecting one side of her face.
In February last year, a woman in Taiwan bought a scratch card after her left eyelid began twitching, believing it was a sign of wealth. She reportedly won NT$1 million (US$31,400). - South China Morning Post
