Eye Health
By Dr S. S. Gill
Almost every woman would have used some form of eye make-up sometime or the other. Be it mascara, eyeliner or anti-wrinkle cream, the trend to use them is only increasing by the day and it is a rarity to find any young woman today without at least having eyeliner on.
There is nothing wrong with having eye make-up or cosmetics but every woman (and some men too these days!) should be aware of certain precautions to observe when using eye make-up. Every now and then I get some lady coming in to my consultation with a recurring eye infection that eventually can be traced to a contaminated eyeliner. So ladies, here are some pointers:
EYE INFECTIONS
Conjunctivitis or pink eye is commonly associated with recurring eye infections. This occurs more so if you had been using the eyeliner or make-up when the eye infection had developed. Chances are the eyeliner would have been contaminated and organisms would have grown on it. The cap of the eyeliner often would have picked up some sebaceous secretions from skin and mucus from the eyes with the bugs on it. Discard old eye liners after a bout of eye infection.
CONTACT LENS WEARERS
Should you be a contact lens wearer, make sure that you put them on before putting on any eye make-up. Do try and avoid heavy make-up but if this an absolutely must, apply them carefully and do not let any get into the eyes. Eyeliners especially are especially prone to getting into the eye when it mixes with the oily sebaceous secretions from the eyelid margins, so do take it easy when applying! Eyeliners should be applied outside the lash line and not on the inner margins of the eyelids. Always ensure that you wash off any creams or powders from your hands before handling the lenses and inserting them into your eyes.
CHECK LABELS OF EYE MAKE-UP
When buying eye creams and eye make-up, ensure that you check for the ingredients found within by checking the label on it. Should you be one of those people who are prone to skin allergies, be especially careful about purchasing eye creams as the skin around the eyes is very sensitive.
SHARING EYE MAKE-UP
Avoid sharing eye make-up. This is a no-no, even if it’s your own sister or best friend! Sharing eye make-up exposes you to eye infections especially if the person you are sharing with is lax about eye hygiene and make-up care.
OLD EYE MAKE-UP
Avoid using eyeliners that are more than six months old and avoid using expired products. All eye make-up should be removed before you retire for the night. This is because, the make-up can often get mixed-up with the oily secretions around the eyelid and seep into the eyes. This can cause infections.
So ladies, beauty may be important to you but do practice good eye make-up habits to protect your eyes and keep them beautiful and also healthy!
