Make-Up Tips For Contact Lens Wearers

As part of Women's Eye Health Month we bring you this information… As a contact lens wearer, you can safely wear eye makeup to complement the beauty of your eyes. To prevent eye makeup from irritating your eyes or damaging your contact lenses, follow these safeguards.

 

Use cosmetics that are designed specifically for contact lens wearers. These products are free of nylon and rayon fibers and mica articles that can flake off in your eyes and damage your contact lenses. They’re water-soluble for easy removal; and they’re hypoallergenic, so you’re less likely to experience a sensitivity reaction to them.

 

Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before inserting your contact lenses. Avoid soaps containing oils, fragrances, dyes, and anti-bacterial or anti-fungal agents. These substances can remain on your fingers and contaminate your contact lenses.

 

Insert your contact lenses before you apply makeup. This prevents makeup on your hands from getting on your hands from getting on your contact lenses and it allows you to see better when applying makeup.

 

Apply mascara only to the tips of your eyelashes and never use mascara as eyeliner. Apply eyeliner outside your eyelashes, never to the inside rim of your eyelids. This will help prevent the mascara wand from accidentally brushing your eye or contact lens and willhelp prevent your eye makeup from flaking off into your eyes.  Eyeliner on the inside rim of the lids can plug oil glands and lead to infection.

 

Remove your contact lenses before you remove your makeup. Makeup formulated for contact lens wearers is easy to take off without oil-based removers that could damage your lenses. However, even gentle rubbing of your eyelids and lashes could dislodge your contact lenses or contaminate them with soap or makeup. With your lenses off, you can gently use a fragrance and oil free cleanser to remove makeup.

 

Close eye makeup containers between uses, discard opened containers after three months, and don’t share friend’s makeup or use department store samples. Open or shared eye-makeup containers can become contaminated and act as a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to eye infections.

 

Don’t handle nail care products immediately before handling your contact lenses. Nail polish and nail polish remover can damage your contact lenses. Nail polish should be thoroughly washed off before handling lenses.

 

Try to avoid using aerosol hair spray, deodorant, cologne, and other aerosol products when wearing your contact lenses. These products adhere to contact lens surfaces and can be difficult to remove. If you use these products while wearing contact lenses, keep your eyes closed when applying.

While wearing lenses, should you develop any eye irritation or pain, immediately remove your contact lenses and contact an eye care professional. Prompts diagnosis and treatment is important for your eye health

 

Back to our blog