Up to 25% of women have suffered some kind of eye disease due to the misuse of cosmetics: Do you know how to take care of the health of your eyes during carnival season?
Glitter, colors, costumes and party: the era of carnivals and, with that, the annual reminder that everything what is cheap comes out expensive and, even more, when talking about the health of our eyes.
And it is that our eye well-being is one of the great victims of these celebrations. This is how they determine it from Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute. Because, at the end of the day, make-up and contact lenses don’t stop being foreign bodies.
But, what do we need to know before the festivities begin? Andrés Fernández-Vega, specialist of the Glaucoma Unit of the Institute, explains to EFEsalut what precautions we have to take them consequences of irresponsible use of cosmetic products and contact lenses.
Advice from an ophthalmologist
The specialist insists on the ophthalmological endorsement of the products and cleaning as key parts for eye care in carnivals. Because better to prevent than to cure.
Watch out for makeup!
Make-up is not bad for the eyes, but you need to have good habits for its use: this is the message that Andrés Fenández-Vega transmits on these dates.
“Most of the makeup that is used in carnivals is not even approved,” says the expert.
To ensure that these types of cosmetic products do not wreak havoc, the ophthalmologist provides a series of recommendations:
- Buy in specialized stores. It is important that the product used has approval and that its composition is not harmful. Look at the small print on the packaging! You can find real surprises.
- Remove make-up well. So that no make-up particles remain in the eye, which can cause infections and other diseases.
- For how many hours can I wear makeup? The doctor assures that there is no exact hour limit, but that the most important idea is don’t sleep with him under no circumstances, since makeup accumulates bacteria during the day.
- Never inside the eye. In carnivals it is common to make up the conjunctiva of the eyes. There are products from big brands to make up this area of the eye, known as “water line“. But beware! ophthalmologists advise against using this type of product.
- Do not share cosmetics. This type of product is for individual use. Save yourself infections!
- Wash your hands before and after. Because dirty hands are never a good option. Especially if we tend to rub our eyes.
See which contact lenses you use and how
Another great favorite at carnivals are contact lenses: be they from Colours or graduateswe have to be careful
Here are the specialist’s observations regarding this type of product:
“If hygiene was already important with make-up, with contact lenses I can’t even explain!”, he points out.
- He does not recommend colored contact lenses as a general rule. They are not made of the same material.
- If you use them, always approved and prescribed by a specialist!
- Extreme hygiene. Not with dirty hands, not by cleaning them with tap water.
- Artificial tears without preservatives. If you notice that the eye is dry, turn to tears. Don’t wait for it to become a problem.
- Do not exceed eight hours. As a general rule, contact lenses should be worn for a limited period of time. Overdoing it causes irritation and, in some cases, serious problems.
- Better those for daily use. Although more expensive, they are less harmful to the eye.
Beware of unapproved products
There is an emphasis on product approval, but beyond that, Are there any components we should steer clear of? The expert indicates that, as a general rule, make-ups contain:
- Preservativeswhich in many cases are not good for the eyes.
- perfumessince as a general rule they irritate.
- resinswhich can cause irritation or allergies
It is important to check these components because the chemical agents are highly irritating to the eyes.
These are the consequences
The doctor from the Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute compiles the possible problems that can arise from not taking extreme care these days.
“We see many cases due to misuse of contact lenses very often and due to misuse of make-up on these specific dates as well”, assures the expert.
Some of the consequences of the misuse of contact lenses and make-up are:
- Conjunctivitis
- Eye irritations
- owls before the blockage of the glands in the area of the eyelid
- Stinging and redness
- Blepharitis or inflammation of the edge of the eyelid that manifests itself with pain, redness, which can lead to an owl.
In short, the idea will always be enjoy the festivities without having to pay a price the next day.