Is Your Makeup Harming Your Eyes?

Makeup might not be the first thing you’d think of as a vision hazard, but proper application is needed especially after having had laser eye surgery.

As lovely as eye makeup can make you feel, it can cause some very ugly damage if used incorrectly. Here’s how not to jeopardise your eye health regardless of whether you are undergoing eye surgery.

Stay Still

As tempting as it can be to stay in bed those extra few minutes and just apply your makeup on the bus or train – don’t. If you slip you could scratch your cornea which can result in a corneal abrasion. They can cause severe discomfort, watery eyes and redness but more seriously it can lead to bacterial infections of the cornea.

Look At The Expiry Date

Were you aware of the expiry date symbol on makeup packaging? There is a symbol representing a tub which has a number on the top, generally 3, 6, 12, 24 or 36. This is the number of months you should keep your makeup for. If you don’t get through makeup particularly quickly, write the date you open any bottles on it so that you can keep track of whether you should still be using it.

Keep It Cool

One of the main risks to your eye health, as a result of makeup, is due to bacteria growth. Bacteria thrive in warm environments so to reduce the speed of bacteria buildup, keep your makeup in a cool place. If you take it out with you, keep your bag out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. The bacteria that can grow in your makeup can cause styes and conjunctivitis.

Clean It

Clean makeup brushes at least once a week. You can buy brush cleaning fluid or just use shampoo. Ideally, you shouldn’t use the applicators that come with you makeup, for instance concealer or mascara brushes. Try to buy separate brushes to use so that you can easily wash them. To be extra safe with your eyeliner, sharpen or cut the tip off before use to prevent getting bacteria that have built up, onto your eyes.

Don’t Apply Eyeliner To The Inner Lid

When you apply eyeliner to the inner lid, it often gets onto your eye. In many cases, the particles wash away within a couple of hours naturally or can be washed away with clean water but if you have contact lenses, the eyeliner particles don’t wash away as easily. It can cause great discomfort and could even scratch your cornea. If you find this happens to you a lot, consider getting rid of contact lenses for good. You can book a free consultation at our Vancouver laser eye surgery clinic to discuss whether laser eye surgery can help you.

Common sense should of course be applied in the days following any eye surgery, whether that be PRK, LASIK or cataract. You want to reduce the chance of irritating your eyes so it is best to avoid eye makeup altogether whilst you are recovering. We’re sure you look beautiful without it anyway!