Tips for make-up-loving contact lens wearers

It is usually advised to refrain from applying eyeliner on your waterline, if you wear contact lenses. Tasneem Alsultan / Bloomberg

Have you been recently detected with a vision prescription and are now worried about applying make-up? Or are you someone who has been a long time contact lens wearer, but worry about ruining your make-up, and even your eyes? Lets bring an end to your agony.

Eye redness, itching and watering are some of the problems that contact lens wearers are quite familiar with and hence experts like Bausch & Lomb India's key opinion leader Professor Monica Chaudhry and Premvardhan, Regional medical director, Eye-Q super specialty eye hospitals suggest tips that comes in handy the next time you want to apply make-up while wearing your contact lenses.

• Maintain proper hygiene: Considering you touch a thousand things during the day and may even miss out on washing your hands, you definitely would not like millions of bacteria to enter your eyes through your fingertips. Hence, always ensure washing your hands thoroughly before wearing lenses.
• Always put you lenses in first: As a thumb rule, it is advised to always wear your contact lenses before you begin with your make-up ritual. This minimises the chances of make-up getting on the contact lens and also reduces the probability of your eyes catching any infection.
• Clean make-up tools: It is advised to clean the make-up tools before applying make-up considering dust and dirt tends to clog the make-up brushes when used continuously. This step is especially vital when you are wearing contact lenses. You can immerse the make-up tools in hot water mixed with some gentle baby shampoo.
• Clean your lenses too: If you are not using a Daily disposable Contact lens which are made to be use and throw, you require cleaning your lenses after each use with approved contact lens care solution. You should follow your eye care practitioner's recommendation for the choice of solution. Bausch + Lomb's Biotrue Solution is effective for all types of Soft contact lenses.
• Use oil-free and waterproof mascara: Opting for waterproof and oil-free mascara while wearing contact lenses is a better option, since using mascaras with strong oil-based substances can cause it to flake, and enter the eyes or bind with the contact lens thus causing irritation and watering eyes and ultimately ruining your make-up.
• Use cream-based eyeshadows: Instead of going for powder or glitter eyes shadows which may allow excess powder inside eyes, opt for cream-based eyeshadows that won't smudge around your eyes.
• Be careful with your waterline: It is usually advised to refrain from applying eyeliner on your waterline, if you wear contact lenses. However if you must, then invest in a kajal pencil that is most importantly smudge-proof and sharpened, in order to avoid getting any of it on your lenses.
• Always keep a check on the expiry of your products: Like everything else, make-up products too have an expiry date. Hence, avoid using old products as the ingredients become toxic and can harm your eyes. Also, avoid sharing eye make-up with others, as this increases the chances of contacting an infection.
• Replace contact lenses regularly: However careful one may be, dirt particles get transferred on to the lens which may eventually cause irritability or infection. Hence, in order to maintain a healthy regime, it is advised for contact lens wearers to switch from yearly contact lens to shorter replacement modality like monthly/daily disposable options.

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* IANS