Tips & Tricks: Preventing Eye Infections

Tips & Tricks: Preventing Eye Infections

There is nothing worse in my opinion than getting an eye infection... (Except maybe a UTI, let's be real here, who can function when a UTI is lingering around?) There are two different infections in general that seem to plague many, Conjunctivitis, a.k.a. Pinkeye, and the dreaded Stye. Both can put a damper on your morning makeup routine (and life in general). However, both can also be caused by what you are putting in, on, and around your eyes. What is conjunctivitis??? And what causes it??? It's inflammation of the thin, clear tissue that lies over the white part of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelid, according to WebMD (the Hypochondriac's Bible). It can be caused by a virus, bacteria, irritants, and allergies. All of which can be found in our everyday world... What is a stye??? And what causes it??? A stye is a small, painful lump on the inside or outside of the eyelid. It is an abscess filled with pus and is usually caused by a staphylococcus bacteria eye infection, WebMD. And these hurt, BAD. Here are just a few suggestions for preventing these terrible circumstances from happening to you...

• Don't touch your eyes, duh. And if you really need to touch your eyes for some reason, WASH YOUR HANDS before (and after).
• Replace mascara every 3 months. I know, I know... There are those of us out there who will hold on to mascara for dear life. Especially if they sold a kidney to purchase it. But if you are using it every day, it should be nearly gone or dried out by this point anyway... 
• Don't share eye makeup. You know your mom has already said this. It's true. In this case, Sharing = Caring. (This goes for things like towels and washcloths too.)
• Throw away cream and gel eye products after 6 months of use. It's repetitive, but there is bacteria growing on them.
• Wash your makeup brushes weekly. I also use a daily brush cleaner from Sephora.
• Wash your makeup off, EVERY DAY. That means don't sleep in it. EVER. First of all, gross. But really you're only damaging your skin and possibly causing a <gasp> STYE!!! I use a makeup remover first, and then a cleanser. And then after that....
• I use baby shampoo to scrub my eyelids. Yes, this may seem excessive... Until you've experienced a stye, or two. Baby shampoo is gentle enough that it won't burn your eyes, I  simply mix it with a little warm water and massage it along the base of my lashes (top and bottom) where styes typically occur. The rubbing action is what helps keep the follicles there clear of debris that could potentially clog them and cause a stye. 

For contact lens wearers...

• Replace your contacts when the directions say to! I have a friend (she knows who she is) who will wear a pair of monthly contacts until they have disintegrated inside her eyes. I swear. Don't do this. There is bacteria growing on them. There always will be not matter how well you clean them. And once you place that contact on your eye, there is nowhere else for those little microbes to go.
• Don't sleep with your contacts (unless they say you can). I have yet another friend (who also knows who she is) who used to sleep with her contacts in constantly. Until she almost lost her sight. It's true. Luckily they caught the infection in time but it was an ordeal that she wouldn't wish upon her worst enemy... Wellllll.... Maybe her worst enemy. I kid, I kid!
• Invest in Clearcare (get a $2 off coupon HERE). It is THE best product on the market for cleaning your lenses. I used to get constant infections in my eyes until I started using this product. When I asked my doctor about it, he said WORD-FOR-WORD, "Yea, that's the best stuff you can use. Most doctors don't recommend it because the general population is too lazy and they want something that is quick." Are you kidding?!?! I would rather not be able to use my contacts for eight hours at a time and never get infections, than to be constantly dealing with wanting to scratch my eyeballs out. That, however, is the con with this product... Once you have put your lenses in the case provided and added in the solution you CANNOT wear them for 6-8 hours. This is because it is a hydrogen peroxide solution that will neutralize into saline over time. If you try to wear them too soon, your eyes will burn and you will seriously regret it. It's worth the wait time though. I can attest to it.

I know that this is not your "typical" beauty post, but the things we use CAN and WILL affect us. Makeup can have consequences and taking care of your eyes is important, you need them to read my blog!!! On a serious note, I had a stye about three weeks ago and that is what prompted this blog post. I know exactly how it happened, I felt it happening. I decided to use eyeliner on my waterline about three days in a row (which I don't do often) and when I was cleaning my face the last night I felt a sharp little twinge around my lash line. Sure enough, the next morning I woke up and had a stye. The eyeliner had clogged my follicles. I had gotten lazy and stopped using my baby shampoo to scrub, I haven't forgotten to do that since. I hope this helps at least one person out there, if so I have done my job. xoxoxo.