Tag: makeup

Healthcare, Optometry

Makeup Tips For Contact Lens Wearers

cosmetic products

This month’s post was originally going to discuss eye makeup tips for everyone, whether you wear contacts or not, but an interesting patient encounter last week prompted me to address contact lens wearers first. A young woman came in for her yearly eye exam and contact lens renewal complaining that a few hours after putting her contacts in her eyes the lenses became foggy and she had trouble seeing. She was wearing a two week lens, meaning she takes it out every night and cleans it and puts in a fresh lens every two weeks. This kind of contact lens usage can lead to a condition called GPC (giant papillary conjunctivitis) where one becomes sensitive/allergic to the proteins that build up on the lens over time. At first I thought this is what she had but when I looked at her contacts under the biomicroscope I immediately saw that her contacts were coated with bronze shimmery deposits that looked nothing like anything found in nature and everything like someone took blobs of makeup and threw them on her contact lenses. This prompted a conversation about her makeup habits, which actually were not bad except that when the problem would not go away she decided to put her makeup on first and then put the contact lens in. Bad move, it only made things worse. Next month we will talk more about makeup and eyes but here are some quick tips specifically about contacts and makeup.

  1. Contacts first, makeup second, and wash your hands first!
  2. Using primer on your lids prevents eye shadow from creeping into your eyes and onto your contacts, I like the one by Urban Decay.  
  3. Do not use eyeliner on your waterline – it will clog every oil gland you own and cause dry eye as well as migrating onto your contacts. 
  4. Use high quality eyeliner – I love Urban Decay 24/7, NYX waterproof retractable eye liner and Marc Jacobs Highliner gel eye crayon – they stay put without sliding around.  
  5. At the end of the day remove contacts first then remove your eye makeup.
  6. Daily disposable contacts will help prevent sensitivity to accidental buildup of anything on your lenses, whether it be makeup or proteins, this is the safest and healthiest way to successfully wear contact lenses.  
Healthcare, medical, Optometry

Eye Safety On Halloween

woman wearing halloween costume

Halloween is around the corner and as you’re putting the final touches on your costume and stocking up on candy, here are some tips about keeping your eyes healthy while not missing out on the fun.

  • Most importantly, don’t wear contact lenses you bought at the flea market or in the dollar store. It is illegal to buy these non FDA approved contact lenses and it is also illegal for the vendors to sell them. There is a myth out there that just because the contacts don’t have a prescription, they are safe to use – WRONG.  Aside from the prescription aspect of the lenses, there is also the fit of the lenses to worry about, the material it is made from, and the liquid that it is stored in. If the lens is too tight it will suction on to the eye and bacteria and other germs can grow underneath leading to an eye infection at best and a corneal ulcer at worst.
  • Don’t share contact lenses – this is good advice all year round but is more of an issue this time of year. Remember the blog post about underwear and contact lenses? Go back and read it again – sharing contacts is like sharing dirty underwear. Yuk.
  • Makeup is a great way to complete a costume – make sure you don’t share makeup especially eyeliner and mascara with anyone else. Don’t glue costume elements near your eyes and don’t line the inner aspect of your eyelid – the glue can wreak havoc on your skin and give you a corneal scratch (just treated one of these) and lining the inside of the eye can cause infection and dryness.
  • Remove your makeup before going to bed.
  • Avoid costumes with eye holes that block your vision.
  • Carry a flashlight when trick or treating to increase visibility.
  • Be careful with costume props that are pointy and can poke someone in the eye such as swords and wands.

We love to see our patients dressed up in their costumes – come by to show off and for some eyeball related candy.

greyscale photo of day of the dead corpse bride