I was 21 at the time and had never had eye problems but about a year later I was seeing an optometrist and being prescribed glasses for astigmatism. Later I read things like this:
Rubbing Your Eyes Could Be a Factor. Rubbing your eyes is one habit that could cause astigmatism. In fact, frequent rubbing could eventually change the shape of your corneas. Rubbing also increases your risk of keratoconus, a condition that makes the corneas thin and cone-shaped.
So yes, those stupid techniques could and did cause injuries to people's eyes, mine included. I only wish there was some way to prove the cause - oh boy, what a class action lawsuit.
