LADIES CORNEA: EYE MAKE-UP HYGIENE

Since ancient history, women have worn cosmetics to enhance the appearance of their eyes. Most people who wear eye make-up never have a problem related to make-up use. Some women can however, develop an infection, allergic reaction or injury of the eye or eyelids. These problems can range from minor annoyance such as tearing of the eye, to visual loss or even blindness.
Who has problem with eye make-up?
Contact lens wearers and people with allergies or sensitive skin are likely to confront problems while using eye cosmetics. However, anyone who wears eye make-up should be aware of basic safety tips to help prevent injury or infection.
What problems can occur?
The most serious problem associated with eye make-up has to do with injury to the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye), often during application of the cosmetics. A mascara or eyeliner wand or a fingernail can scratch the cornea (corneal abrasion or injury). Sometimes, a corneal injury can become infected leading to a potentially blinding ulcer. Corneal injuries are painful and always demand prompt medical attention. Allergic reaction such as itching, tearing and redness of the eye or swelling and flaking of the eyelids can also be exhibited. If some women are sensitive to water-proof mascara, they may have lesser problem with a water-based product (one that washes off with water). However, if they go on to have problems after changing products, the cause may not be an allergy. The problem could be caused by blepharitis, a chronic inflammation of the eyelids.
Safety tips to using eye cosmetics
Wash your hands before putting on your eye make-up.
Keep eyeliner pencils sharpened so that the rough wood casing won’t scratch the eye or eyelid. As the pencil gets to be old, the liner tip becomes firm, requiring more pressure to apply.
Replace your eye make-up every 5-6 months (more often if you can, wear contact lenses) to avoid excess contamination with skin bacteria.
Never share your make-up or applicator or brushes with anyone. Don’t try eye make-up tester in a store instead, test it by putting it on the back of your hand with a clean cotton swab.
After any eye infection such as conjunctivitis, buy fresh eye make-up.
Don’t use make-up labeled natural or preservatives, get hypo-allergic products.
Never apply eye make-up while in a moving vehicle. You may unexpectedly stick the applicator into the eyes during a sudden bump or stop.
Do not share your eye make-up with others. Each person has different skin bacteria. If you contaminate your cosmetics with another individual’s bacteria, you may get an infection. Infection is inevitable if you do so.
Never use saliva to thin old or clumped make-up or to wet a mascara wand. Saliva contains bacteria from the mouth.
Check with your eye doctor (optometrist) right away. If you contact infection on your eye or eyelid, throw out the eye make-up you have been using. Don’t use any other eye make-up until the infection is gone.
Are there special concerns for contact lens wearers?
People who wear contact lens are susceptible to corneal injuries or corneal ulcers if they have poorly fitting lenses or get dust specks under the lens. Some simple preventive measures can reduce the likelihood of contamination.
Insert contact lens before applying make-up and take them out prior to removing make-up. Always wash your hands before touching your contact lens.
Apply make-up less heavily close to the eye, for example, mascara should only be smeared on the tip of the eye lashes.
Avoid using cosmetics like thickening mascaras and metallic-sheen eye shadow which contain particles that can peel off into the eye. If the particles get in the space separating the contact lens and corneal surface, they can scratch the cornea and may lead to infection.
In conclusion, eye make-up is great and enhances your beauty with no side effects when hygienically applied.