According to Keith Peterson in this interview, he has had numerous fighters admit post career that many of the fouls they caused were actually intentional. Hearing this really makes me question whether outstretched fingers and eye pokes are an intentional strategy on the part of several fighters. It is really shitty to think that fighters would use an intentional foul strategy to try to weaken their opponent.
Some pokes are definitely an unintentional reaction, but others do appear to be more of a strategy on the part of the fighters. Especially the ones that are notorious for eye poking. Perhaps they know that it plays on the natural tendency of the opponent to avoid the outstretched fingers and aggressive fighters become hesitant to rush in, fearing getting poked in the eye?