Cornea at Risk: Avoid Applying Makeup & Contact Lenses on the Go

Doctors warn women to avoid applying makeup & contact lenses on the go; as a sudden jolt could lead you to poke your eyes accidentally. Human eyes are resilient but improper handling of contact lenses & poor hygiene practices trigger searing & vision threatening infections.

Speaking ahead of the National Eye Health Week, Dr Blakeney said: “Talking about good make-up hygiene and habits may seem trivial, but we’re keen to encourage people to take some simple steps, such as hand-washing and taking notice of expiry information, that may help minimize potential risks to eye health."

Inserting contact lenses or touching up makeup whilst travelling, carry potential risks & health hazards. Accidental poking triggers Injurious infections, corneal abrasions & permanent vision loss. Contact lenses ensure greater freedom, sense of security and enhanced peripheral vision which actually contributes to reduce the risk of crashes during driving. This being said, there lies no harm wearing contact lenses during driving. What puts you at risk is your ignorance & negligence. Inserting contact lenses or fixing your makeup should not be an option when you drive or are travelling as a passenger.

Whilst travelling, consumers tend to ignore the instructions embedded on the product. Like contact lenses, products like mascara and eye liners also come with an expiry date. This is yet another threat of applying makeup on the go.

If contact lenses are to be fixed- take a pause from whatever you are doing. Disinfect your hands using a disinfectant or a hand sanitizer before putting your lenses in. Wear preventive ocular wear such as shades to help protect eyes from accidental mishaps. Furthermore, doctors recommend using water-soluble-makeup as it reduces the chances of infection. Water soluble makeup agents gets washed away with tears if get into contact with eyes & contact lenses.