Doctor issues warning over make-up that can trigger a condition

Using a particular type of cosmetic could leave you with an agonising eye condition, medics have warned. 

Dr Jacqueline Beltz, an Australian ophthalmologist, said people should steer clear of waterproof make-up as it can lead to severe eye dryness.

This painful condition leaves sufferers with burning, stinging, redness in their eyes as well as blurred vision.

In a video posted on TikTok that has amassed over 500,000 views, Dr Beltz said she recommended her patients never use waterproof mascara due to how the ingredients—which help give the make-up its staying power—put your eyes at risk. 

‘They have a lot of drying qualities because you need the mascara to dry out and stay on your lashes, but it can also dry out your tear film,’ she said.

The tear film is the delicate thin layer of fluids on the surface of the eye that help keep the organ moist and help protect its sensitive tissue for external substances. 

Dr Beltz added: ‘A lot of people with sensitive eyes have dry tear film already, so they don’t need that extra dryness.

‘The second reason is because it is obviously just harder to get off. So not only do you need stronger chemicals, but more rubbing, which can be irritating if you have sensitive eyes.’

Social media users were left shocked about the dangers, with some saying it might explain why they’ve been suffering years of eye problems. 

One wrote: ‘So that’s why my eyes get really itchy when I wear waterproof mascara.’

Another added: ‘I wear waterproof mascara and have had dry eyes since 2016 and no one has told me about this! I’m going to change my mascara ASAP.’ 

And a third wrote: ‘I have had issues with my eyes for some time now and no one has recommended this despite me asking my specialist and optometrist.’

Dr Beltz isn’t the only eye expert to warn about the dangers of waterproof make-up. 

Reacting to her clip on Instagram, Dr Julian Prosia, a Canadian optometrist, also urged people to stay away from this type of cosmetic. 

‘While make-up in general can lead to more dry eye issues and even irritation on the eye the waterproof make-up type is the worst thing you can do when it comes to meibomian gland dysfunction,’ he said.

Meibomian gland dysfunction is a common eye condition where the glands that help maintain the tear film become damaged, causing dry eyes. 

As such, Dr Prosia urged people to choose ‘healthier’ cosmetics such water soluble options as well make-up brands recommended by eye-health specialists.  

But he added waterproof make-up wasn’t the only type of cosmetic people should be wary of when it came to maintaining their eye health. 

Dr Prosia directed viewers to a list made by Dr Huda Minhas, from the University of Puerto Rico, on commonly ingredients to be cautious of.

One worrying chemical, which can be found in waterproof mascara, was Butylated hydroxyanisole. 

The chemical is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Dr Minhas warned. 

Other make-up ingredients she listed to beware of include benzalkonium chloride which she said can kill the meibomian glands within 15 minutes, even at low levels.

Another was the chemical formaldehyde which Dr Minhas said could trigger dermatitis, skin and eye surface irritation and even cancers. 

She added that parabens—a type of preservative found in some cosmetics—can dispurt natural hormone function and are known to prevent the meibomian glands from working correctly. 

Phenoxyethanol, another preservative, is also known to cause eye irritation and painful skin problems, she added. 

It follows a warning from Breast Cancer UK earlier this year that toiletries used by millions of women daily could increase their chances of developing breast cancer.

The charity said shampoos and face creams contain substances—that while safe in isolation—can combine on the skin to produce endocrine disrupting chemicals.

These chemicals interfere with the human hormone system and have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.

The charity warned that woman using many beauty or hygiene products in a single day are unknowingly creating a powerful ‘chemical cocktail’.

Breast Cancer UK estimated the average British woman is exposed to over 150 potentially harmful chemicals as part of their daily beauty regime.