If you’re squeamish about eyeballs, this is not a story you want to hear about. RUN AWAY NOW!!
For some reason, shaving eyeballs is a thing — and ancient art — that a barber in China continues to practice And yes, shaving is the correct word here, because the dude literally takes a straight edge to the actual eyeball to clean off the residue. No matter that eyes are self-cleaning machines, because who doesn’t need a sharp blade to the retina once in awhile to show it who’s boss?
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Xiong Gaowu, now 62-years-old, claims he’s never hurt anyone in the 40 years he’s been practicing. But it’s a technique professionals warn against. The practice was widely used in hospitals in the early 20th century to treat a bacterial infection called trachoma known to cause blindness. But in the wrong hands, it can cause eye damage and even spread infection.
Sichuan barber Liu Deyuan, now in his 50s, has been practicing the art of eyeball shaving since he was 17-years-old. One of his customers says that he’s still a little nervous going under Liu’s knife (who wouldn’t be???): “I do not dare to move even a bit during the process,” but admits it’s not an unpleasant experience and that his eyes “feel moist and my vision is clearer.”
Now, give your eyes a nice rub, because they are about to witness something truly nerve-racking.
