Did you know that your everyday makeup and cosmetics routine can cause eye infections and chronic eyelid inflammation? When used incorrectly, eye makeup can cause eye pain, blurred vision, allergies, swelling, discharge and chronic dry eye symptoms.
Most of these issues can be prevented by following a few simple tips.
Don’t keep mascara or eyeliner too long. Old cosmetics can harbour bacteria and fungi so throw these away after 3 months of use.
Don’t share your eye makeup with anyone. Sharing makeup is sharing bacteria.
Check product ingredients before you buy. Look out for kohl. Kohl carries a risk of containing lead that is toxic to your skin.
Avoid “water-lining”. No matter what social media influencers say, all eye care practitioners will agree that water-lining is a bad idea. Applying makeup inside the lash line blocks the oil glands that release an important oil into your tear layer. This can lead to severe dry eye symptoms and even infection.
Stay away from glitter. Products containing glitter are a cause of irritation and possible abrasion of the cornea.
Avoid mixing makeup. Don’t use a lip pencil as an eye liner as that shifts bacteria from your mouth to your eyes.
Oils in creams can sometimes work their way near the eyes during application. Retinol is also a powerful and popular anti-aging cosmetic ingredient but be cautious. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest skin on your face and requires a formulation that is less concentrated. Choose wisely. When applying, carefully avoid the eyelid lid margins.
Never apply eye makeup in a moving vehicle!
Remove your makeup thoroughly every night.
Consider choosing opto-cosmetics or makeup that is hypoallergenic and designed with ocular health in mind. These brands are also great for patients with sensitive skin and eyes as well as for contact lens wearers. Chat to your optometrist at Eyetek for suggesting brands that might be right for you.
All content within this column is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor, optometrist or any other health care professional. Eyetek Optometrists are not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this site. Eyetek Optometrists is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own optometrist if you're in any way concerned about your health.