#162: The ONE Dry Eye Rule You Should NEVER Break (Part 2)

If you have been hanging around with me for a while now, then you know that I preach the same rules over and over and over again.  In the past couple of weeks, I've had some thinking time. I started to re-evaluate my hard and fast rules.

I would like to review these 4 dry eye rules. Last week, I reviewed 2 of them.  If you haven't read about those two, please check it out here.  It turns out that there are times when it's okay to break the rules.  Let me tell you when you can break three of them.  Then, I'll explain why you can never, ever, ever, ever, ever break one of them.

Rule #1)  Never Use Waterproof Mascara

Why is it bad for you?

It's a rule because waterproof mascara contains toxins. The ingredients that makes it stick onto your eyes makes it hard to remove. Some of it stays behind even when you try hard to remove it.  And in general, waterproof mascara dries out your lashes and makes them brittle, break off easily, and short. And who wants short, stubby eyelashes?

 Many women with dry eye lean towards using waterproof mascara because they're constantly using artificial tears.  Using tears makes water run down their face and smears, but the toll waterproof mascara takes on your eyes is not worth the trade off.

 Rule #2) Tightlining

Why is it bad for you: 

Tightlining is when the eyeliner is placed on the inner rim of the eyelid. This space is part of your eye. It's not part of your skin. Its job is to lubricate your eyes with oils. Covering it with eye liner prevents the oils from coating your tears.   Overtime, these glands can become significantly clogged and will not produce the oils your eyes need to stay lubricated.

Rule #3) No sleeping in your contact lenses

Why is it bad for you:

You shouldn't sleep in our contact lenses, especially when your eyes are dry, because of the incredible risk of infection.  There are bacteria that normally live on our lids and lash. If bacteria get into your eyes while wearing a contact lens, they could become trapped under the contact lens,  Once trapped under the lens, the bacteria could then create an ulcer on the front surface of your eye. 

 These types of eye infections can cause scarring, loss of vision, and complete loss of your eyes. I've seen it happen. Don't sleep in your contact lenses.

What's the Alterative?

There are a number of options other than sleeping in your contact lenses.  Please see your eye doctor to discuss which is best for you.

• Take your contact lenses out before bed and wear your glasses.
• Have refractive laser surgery: both LASIK and PRK can help you eliminate the need for glasses and contact lenses.  These may not be the right surgery for you if you suffer from dry eye disease, though.  Only your doctor can help you make that determination.
• Have refractive lens surgery: this type of surgery involves placing a lens inside of your eye.  They can reduce your need from contacts and glasses and are a better option if you also have dry eye disease.  The most common form of this surgery is cataract surgery to replace your own crystalline lens, but you can also have an Implantable Contact lens (ICL) which leaves your own lens intact.  Again, see your eye care professional to find out if either of these surgeries are right for your eyes.

When can you break this rule?

If you work in the emergency room, fire station, or police station and you're on a shift long enough that you need to sleep.  However, these jobs sometimes require you to be ready at a moment's notice and you need to have your contact lenses to see properly. These are the only very specific, very special reasons, very specific people who should sleep in their contact lenses.  These same people should not sleep in their contact lenses when they are not working.

If you're a new mom who needs to get up in the middle of the night and check on your baby, you do not need to sleep in their contact lenses.  Instead, wear your glasses and ensure the health of your eyes.  Healthy eyes will enable you to see when your baby when they are graduating from college 20 years from now.

 No sleeping in your contact lenses, unless you have a job that requires them and you have to sleep while you're on that job. Okay? Those are the only reasons that you would want to use them overnight. If you have dry eyes and want to wear contact lenses, I recommend using daily disposable contact lenses.

There are lots of options for contact lens wearers that have dry eyes. There are many better brands around these days.  Check out this review of contact lenses for people with dry eyes.  And, see your eye doctor to get fitted with some great contact lenses.

Rule #4) No sleeping in your eye makeup

 Why is it bad for you?

We don't sleep in our eye makeup because it leaves stuff on our eyelids for the bacteria that are naturally live there to burrow into, breed, cause inflammation, overpopulate, and overall just keep our eyes irritated. You have to take your eye makeup off every night.  Sleeping in your eye makeup is a recipe to create red, watery, irritated eyes, and wrinkles.

What's the alternative?

Take your makeup off every night. In fact, you could just take it off as soon as you get home.  If you know that you aren't going out again, go ahead and take off your makeup and your contact lenses while you're at it. 

 I like to keep the Eyes Are The Story individually wrapped eye makeup removers in my purse or gym bag. I also love these reusable microfiber cloth from Norwex. They come in two sizes: a bigger suede like cloth, or a small pad.  The pad has a fuzzy side and a suede-like side.  With either type, just add water. Then, just wipe away to remove all of your makeup. It's simple.

When can you break this rule?

Never!  I thought for days about when you would need to sleep in your eye makeup.  And the answer is…. never, never, ever, ever, ever, ever sleep in your eye makeup.  There is never a good reason to do so.  Let's say you're on a date and you don't think you're going home. Put one of these makeup remover wipes in your purse and remove your makeup while you're out. 

Or, if you are at home, remove your makeup before you get into the recliner and accidently fall asleep. You really knew you were going to fall asleep before you got in the recliner. So go ahead, take your eye makeup off before you turn the TV on you.  You just don't need to be wearing your eye makeup once your home at the end of the day. And, there's never a good reason to sleep in your eye makeup.

If you do not have a favorite eye makeup remover yet, please download the guide to Makeup removers for sensitive eyes. The guide will walk you through a couple of steps to choose the best one.  You will consider your skin type, whether you use light or heavy makeup, and your lifestyle.  Go ahead and find your new favorite.

CONCLUSION:

 Dry eye often relief requires making shifts to your lifestyle habits.  If you've picked up any of these habits: wearing waterproof mascara, tightlining, sleeping in your contact lenses, or not properly removing your eye makeup it's time to stop.

Consider using an alternative to that waterproof mascara or eyeliner.  Take out your contact lenses before you sleep or switch to using a daily disposable so you can throw them away anywhere.  And, never sleep in your eye makeup.  Download the guide to Eye makeup removers for sensitive eyes here to find your favorite remover.