“EYE SMART” is a service by the “American Academy of Ophthalmology”

Keep Eyes Healthy and Beautiful

Forgot to wash your mascara off last night, and now your eye is red and in pain? You might have scratched your cornea, and now have a corneal abrasion. With all of the tempting options in the make-up aisle and being advertised in magazines and on television, it’s important to know how to apply and remove make-up properly so that you can make your eyes “pop”, but also protect your vision.  These eye makeup safety reminders will help to ensure your eyes stay beautiful and your vision stays healthy

Makeup has an expiration date. Eye makeup should be thrown away three months after it’s purchased, or tossed immediately if you develop an eye infection while using the product

You may be allergic. If you tend to be sensitive to new products, only introduce one new makeup product at a time. If you have no reaction, add another new product. If you notice that you are sensitive to a specific product, find out the ingredients and bring them to your doctor’s attention

Practice safe makeup application.  When you apply eye makeup, your eyes and face should be very clean before you begin. To avoid the painful experience of poking your eye with an applicator, never apply make up in a moving vehicle

Always remove makeup before bed. At night, remove all eye makeup, especially mascara that may stick to lashes. If you use an eye makeup remover, be careful to not get any in your eye. When you are done, rinse the remover from your eyelids to avoid any possible irritation of the eye or lids

Makeup is a fun way that many people use to express themselves, and by following these EyeSmart reminders, your show-stopping looks won’t get in the way of your healthy vision

Follow these tips to keep your eyes healthy as well as beautiful

Throw away eye makeup after three months. Infection-causing bacteria grow easily in creamy or liquid eye makeup. If you develop an eye infection, immediately toss all of your eye makeup

Never share eye makeup, and when sampling makeup in stores use only fresh applicators and samples that have not been contaminated by multiple users. The safest choice is to avoid store samples altogether

If you tend to be allergic, introduce only one new eye makeup or care product at a time. If there is no reaction, add another new product, and so on. If you notice an allergic reaction, find out what the ingredients are and let your doctor know. Avoid products that contain untested or harmful chemicals

Before applying makeup, be sure your face and eyelids are very clean. Always apply makeup outside the lash line, away from the eye, to avoid blocking the oil glands of the upper or lower eyelid. These glands secrete oil that protects the eye’s surface. Never apply makeup while in a moving vehicle

Do not separate your mascara-clumped lashes with sharp items.

If you tend to have dry eyes, avoid metallic/glitter, powder or other makeup that flakes. Flakes can get into the tear film and increase your eyes’ irritation. Glitter eye makeup is a common cause of corneal irritation or infection, especially in contact lens users

Remove all eye makeup at night before sleeping, especially mascara that can stick to the lashes. Brush a clean cotton swab along the base of the eyelashes to remove all makeup remnants. If you use eye makeup remover, avoid getting it in your eyes and thoroughly rinse remover off your eyelids

If you have eye surgery, do not wear makeup around the eye until your ophthalmologist tells you it is safe to do so, and then use only fresh, new makeup