Eye drawn on ink great as background image for your mobile phone .

The evil eye is a look that is superstitiously believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike. The term also refers to the power attributed to certain persons of inflicting injury or bad luck by such an envious or ill-wishing look.

The "evil eye" is also known as "Mal de ojo."^[1] Mediterranean cultures and many others around the world believe in the concept of the "evil eye." Symptoms may include diarrhea, constant crying, and, in some cases, even death. It usually affects infants and children, however, adult females can also be affected.^[2]

In many Latin American countries, as a preventive method to avoid the evil eye, parents will tie a red ribbon around the child's wrist or ankle.

The psychodynamics of envy inflict unspeakable suffering on the envious subject, and may be responsible for certain cases of hysterical blindness.^[3]

The idea expressed by the term causes many cultures to pursue protective measures against it. The concept and its significance vary widely among different cultures. The idea appears several times in translations (Tirgumim) of the Old Testament.^[4] It was a widely extended belief between many Mediterranean tribes and cultures: Classical Greece probably learned this belief from ancient Egypt, and later passed it to ancient Rome.^[5][6]