Eye Makeup: How It Can Affect Your Eyes and Vision

Many people enjoy using makeup products such as mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow to enhance their features and boost their self-esteem. While these products are generally safe, they do carry some risks. Eye exams are important for diagnosing any eye health issues due to eye makeup. At Eye Expressions, we provide eye exams for glasses and contact lenses in Lloydminster.

Eye Health Risks of Eye Makeup and How to Avoid Them 

The key to using eye makeup safely is to be aware of the potential risks. The most common issues caused by eye makeup are infection, allergic reactions, and corneal scratches.

• Infection 

Using eye makeup can increase your chances of developing an infection. One of the most common types of eye infections is called bacterial conjunctivitis, also known as "pink eye." Contact lens wearers are particularly susceptible to infections, as the lens can trap bacteria.

To reduce your chances of an eye infection, you should always properly close and put your makeup away, never share makeup with anyone else, remove your makeup before bed, and immediately stop using makeup that has passed its expiration date. Contact lens wearers should also put their contact lenses in before applying makeup.

• Allergic reactions 

If you are allergic to any of the ingredients in a certain eye makeup product, then you may experience symptoms such as eye redness, tearing, swelling, and irritation. It is best to have these symptoms checked out by a Lloydminster optometrist and to bring along the makeup that you think may have caused the allergic reaction. An optometrist can help you identify the cause of your symptoms and may recommend that you start using hypoallergenic makeup products.

• Scratched cornea 

Even just a slight slip of the hand when applying mascara can result in a scratched cornea. Though small scratches will heal over time, you should always have our Lloydminster optometrist take a look. A scratched cornea leaves your eye susceptible to infection and can decrease your visual acuity. If you think you have a corneal scratch, you should wear your glasses instead of your contacts before you get it looked at.

You can avoid scratching your cornea by being careful when applying your eye makeup. Make sure you are in an area with plenty of light and never apply makeup in a moving vehicle. Leaving your eye makeup on before bed can also result in small corneal scratches from glitter or other debris, so make sure you always take it off.

Have Any Questions? Contact Your Lloydminster Optometrist Today

Keep your eyes healthy by using makeup that is safe for your eyes, practicing good makeup hygiene, going for a regular eye exam, and wearing your prescription contact lenses or glasses. Lloydminster's Dr. Jade & Dr. Dave are here to help if you have any more questions or concerns about your eye makeup and eye health.

To schedule an appointment for an eye exam at our Lloydminster optometrist clinic, contact Dr. Jade & Dr. Dave today.