The Applying of Eyeliner to the inside of the Eyelid can Cause Infections, Doctors warn

Eye doctors researchers from the the University of Waterloo, Canada warned against the use of eyeliner that can cause infection to the eyes.

Eye doctors often see patients coming into clinics with eyeliner residue stuck to contact lenses  - or trapped in the coating over their eyes called the tear film, said study leader Alison Ng, of the University of Waterloo, Canada.


The waxes and pigments in makeup may bind to contact lenses, reducing vision quality and potentially even causing blurred vision.
Experts warn build-up of make-up on contact lenses can also irritate the eye.


Applying liner close to the eye also means the eyeliner can become seeded with bacteria.


Dr Ng added this is the first research to show that particles from pencil eyeliner move into the eye. 'We wanted to look at how differently eyeliner migrated into the tear film when applied in two different ways: inside the lash line and outside of the lash line,' she said.




The volunteers were assigned to one of two groups.
One applied eyeliner inside the lash line, close to the eye, while the other applied eyeliner to the skin outside of the lash line, further from the eye. 
They returned the next day and received eyeliner in the opposite location.


For the study, three women aged between 26 and 30, with no known eye conditions, had their eyes filmed. 


To test the effect of eyeliner, the researchers took video of each participant's eyes five to 10 minutes after applying make-up, then counted how many particles of eyeliner moved into the eye.


They found that between 15 and 30 per cent more particles moved into the eye when eyeliner was applied to the inside of the lash line. 
The makeup also moved more quickly into the eye when eyeliner was applied inside the lash line.


A second round of videotaping two hours after applying the make-up showed there was little to no eyeliner remaining in the tear film, Reuters Health reports. 


Dr Ng said: 'We noticed that the makeup migration happened quicker and was greater when eyeliner was put on the inner lid margin.'


In many cases, most of the particles wash away within two hours but they can stick to contact lenses causing greater discomfort and are worse for sensitive or dry eyes.


Dr Ng advised: 'If you thoroughly sharpen your pencil eyeliner before each application and get rid of the stuff that's stuck to the end, you'll have a fresh tip which can help prevent infection.
'With twist-up eyeliner, cut some off the end before each use. And always make sure to fully remove eye makeup before bed.' 


However writing in the journal Eye and Contact Lens, she warns the results may not apply to everyone because the participants were all Caucasian.


Photo image : Corbis/Dailymail