An eye infection is uncomfortable, unsightly, and all-around unpleasant. If you have an eye infection, you’ll want to discover the cause as quickly as possible so that it doesn’t happen again. Could your eye makeup problems be to blame? Unfortunately, the answer is yes.
Eye makeup can actually cause a few different types of problems for your eyes if you’re not careful. You might accidentally scratch your cornea with an applicator. This can be painful, and if it causes a corneal abrasion, it could lead to an infection. You might have an allergic reaction to your eye makeup, causing your eye to become swollen, red, and irritated. Sometimes, allergies can lead to eye infections, but the most common type of eye infection is conjunctivitis. Also called pink eye, this condition can be viral or bacterial. In either case, it’s painful and extremely contagious. Here are some steps you can do to prevent eye infections.
- Don’t use expired makeup. It can be tempting to hang on to your makeup for years, especially if it was expensive or the company has discontinued the type you like. However, the longer makeup sits around, the more likely it is to become contaminated. Keep an eye on the expiration date, but as a general rule of thumb, throw out your eye makeup after about three to six months. If you’ve had an eye infection, toss your makeup immediately.
- Be cautious if you wear contacts. If makeup comes into contact with your lenses, it can cause contamination that leads to infection. Always put your contacts in before putting on your eye makeup, and be careful not to apply makeup too heavily when you’re applying it close to your eye. You don’t want it to flake off into your eyes and stick to your contacts!
- Be smart about makeup application. Be gentle with your eyes and the skin around them, because these are delicate areas. Keep your eyeliner sharp, for precision and to prevent scratches against the eye. Similarly, don’t apply eyeliner to the inside of your lash line, to prevent eye scratches. And never put on makeup in a moving car, even if you’re not the one who is driving.
- Use good eye makeup hygiene. At some point, most of us have done dumb things like slept with eye makeup on or slapped some makeup onto a not-very-clean face. It’s extremely important, though, to wash your face before applying makeup and again at the end of the day. That way, you’re creating an environment that’s inhospitable to bacteria.
- Never share. No matter how close you may feel to a person, you don’t need that person’s germs in your eyes. If you absolutely can’t resist sharing your new shade of eyeshadow, use one-time use applicators to prevent the spread of bacteria.
- Watch what you put on your face. Pay attention to ingredients in your makeup products, so that you can determine if you’re allergic to them. That way, you can avoid putting anything on your face that’s caused a reaction in the past. Another thing to avoid putting on your face is your hands. Your hands pick up dirt and bacteria all day, so putting them near your eyes is a bad idea.
If you think you have an eye infection, it’s wise to make an appointment with your eye doctor. Whenever you need eye care, trust the team at Northwest Eye Center, PC. We have the best ophthalmologists in the country, with a well-trained, highly professional staff of certified ophthalmic technicians, certified opticians, LASIK consultants, and insurance and finance specialists. We pride ourselves on offering the best in customer service, personalized attention, state-of-the-art technology, and exceptional, compassionate patient care. Visit our website to make an appointment or contact us or call 303-720-7247 today!