Eyelash Extensions – Yay or Nay?

What You Should Know Before Heading To The Salon.

Eyelash extensions are individual lashes, made of a synthetic fiber such as nylon, which a professional aesthetician glues one by one to each of your top lashes. Using long, pointed tweezers, the tech brushes a single synthetic lash in a dab of adhesive. With another pair of tweezers, she separates the natural lashes to isolate just one. Then the synthetic lash is placed on the natural lash, holding it for a few seconds while the glue bonds. The tech repeats the process, one lash at a time, attaching 40 to 100 lashes per eye. The tech will use several lengths of lashes, attaching the longest artificial lashes to your longest natural lashes.

The expected outcome is a dramatic, lush look, so some consumers are surprised when faced with side effects they hadn’t bargained for. Recently, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has warned of these dangers associated with eyelash extensions:

  • Irritation and redness.
  • Inflammation and swelling.
  • Infection. Extensions can trap dirt and bacteria, leading to serious infections, including pink eye.
  • Allergic reaction. The glues in some lash adhesives contain formaldehyde, which can cause a severe allergic reaction over time that can result in oozing and crusting. Formaldehyde is also a known carcinogen.
  • Loss of eyelashes. Yes, you can end up with bald eyes!

 

Why it’s important to keep eyelash extensions clean.

If eyelash extensions are not properly cleaned, problems may occur. Over time severe build-up of make-up residue, oil and/or dead skin cells can accumulate at the base of the lashes. This is severely unhygienic and in addition, clogged lash follicles can result in your natural lashes growing through weaker than they should, and you could be putting yourself at a higher risk for sensitivities and infections.

Some women do not ever remove all the residue and that can lead to a complicated problem called Demodex folliculitis.

Demodex are mites, a parasite found in the follicles of our faces, mainly, in the nose, cheeks and most especially the end of the eyelash area. So, when the lids and lash margin are not being cleaned on a regular basis and when the hygiene is not being maintained, over time those mites can overpopulate and symptoms can be severe. Your eyelashes basically become somewhat of a feast of dirt and oils for these mites. This could lead to a situation where too many eyelash mites are eating off a single follicle. Not only will this infect your eyes but it can cause a severe loss of eyelashes.

Here are some tips on how to keep your lash extensions clean:

  1. Remove all eye-makeup using an oil and glycol-free makeup remover. If taking off eyeliner, use a cotton tip dipped in remover and wipe it across your lid, or away from the lid. Never towards the base of the extensions. Don’t use cotton balls or pads as they will catch on the base of the extensions.
  2. If you are wearing heavy foundation, remove this too before washing eyes, using your cleanser (preferably an oil free cleanser) but AVOIDING the eye area.
  3. Wet your eyes with cool water. Take a very, small amount of a lash shampoo or you can use tear-free baby shampoo and lather it up on your palm. Close your eyes and apply this to both eyes, one at a time. Repeat if necessary.
  4. Rinse off shampoo and dab your eyes gently dry.
  5. Use your lash wand to very gently twirl through your lashes and fan them back out.

 

Are eyelash extensions worth it, considering the health risks?

Health should always trump beauty, especially when there are risks involved. Our advice is to avoid eyelash extensions altogether, and stick to fresh mascara or eyeliner. Although, if you feel like you have to absolutely try them, make sure you take these necessary safety precautions, recommended by the AAO.

  • Research the technician and establishment where you plan to have the procedure done. Ask for their certifications and all side effects that may occur. If the aesthetician cannot answer your questions, keep shopping until you find one who can.
  • Assess the salon’s environment and hygiene practices. Can you observe frequent hand washing? Are the instruments sanitized?
  • Read up on each ingredient in the glue used to adhere the eyelashes. This may be what convinces you to pursue other ways of enhancing your look. Some salons won’t even offer you the package for inspection, which should be an indication to use caution.
  • If you do notice signs of infection, see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

 

Women’s Eye Health

With this being Women’s History Month, we thought it appropriate to discuss women’s eye heath. Your vision is one of the most important things in your life. Vision loss can make everyday tasks more difficult, impede your work and lead to depression.
women's eye health
According to Prevent Blindness America (PBA), 66% of people who are blind or visually impaired are women. This is primarily due to the fact that women have more risk factors for vision loss than men. Sadly the same study also revealed that only 9% of women realize this. Early intervention can help prevent blindness in many cases. Many blinding eye diseases can be treated to prevent blindness and almost all eye injuries can be prevented.

Here is a closer look at why women are affected more than men, and what condition they need to be aware of for early diagnosis and sight-saving treatments.

Why Women Lose Vision

  • They live longer than men and many eye diseases are age-related. Examples are cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The rates of these diseases are increasing as the baby boomer population ages.

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  • Some eye diseases are intrinsically more prevalent among women, like dry eye syndrome which is believed to be linked to hormones. It is 2-3 times more likely in women than men. Hormonal changes can influence vision changes across the life span of a woman, from pregnancy to post-menopause.

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  • Women have higher rates of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. The serious side effects of these conditions can affect your eyes, causing vision loss.

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  • Social and economic factors can access to health care for women restricting early detection and treatment which could prevent or limit vision loss.

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  • While behavioral and environmental factors are not restricted to women, poor nutrition and obesity can cause diabetes and subsequent diabetic retinopathy; while smoking is also a proven risk factor for eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Women under 23 are the fastest growing segment of new smokers.

women's eye health
Eye Conditions More Prevalent in Women

  • Cataracts are the world’s leading cause of blindness. They are the result of a clouding of your eye’s normally clear lens. They can be treated with cataract surgery, where the cloudy lens is replaced with a clear synthetic lens.

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  • Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the Us. It is called the silent thief of sight because there is no warning. It happens when pressure in the eye — intraocular pressure or IOP — is too high, damaging the optic nerve which sends vision signals to the brain. Open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, affects men and women equally. But women are 2-4 times more likely than men to get closed-angle glaucoma. One of the possible reasons for this is that the front chamber between the iris and cornea is shallower in women than men and can block fluids from draining out of the eye, thus increasing pressure. Glaucoma is also genetic, meaning you are at higher risk if someone in your family has had glaucoma. When caught early, there are treatments that can help control your IOP. If it is not controlled early, blindness can result and it is irreversible.

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  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the number one cause of vision loss in people over 40 in the US. One of the reasons women are at higher risk is because they tend to live 5-7 years longer than men. AMD gradually destroys the central part of your sight that helps you read or drive. There are two types of AMD. Dry AMD, which occurs when drusen accumulate under the retina. There is no treatment for dry, yet accounts for 90% of the cases. Wet AMD occurs when new blood vessels grow and leak between the retina and eye’s outer layer. There is a treatment of anti-VEGF injections for this version of AMD. The earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated, the better the results. Like glaucoma, it is an inherited eye disease.

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  • Diabetic retinopathy is a result of diabetes. When blood sugar levels are too high, the vessels that feed the retina weaken and eventually leak, which cause the macula to swell. In its most dangerous form the retina may detach from the back of the eye leading to blindness. Diabetes is also hereditary, but controllable with early diagnosis and treatment.

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  • Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes produce too few tears. Your eyes may burn, sting or feel gritty, making your vision blurry or you may blink more. Contrary to the name, you may appear weepy as the dryness may stimulates more tear production. Thanks to hormones, women are more susceptible. In postmenopausal women, the shift in balance between estrogen and progesterone can be responsible.

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  • Pregnancy-related eye changes, like menopause, are caused by hormone shifts and can cause several temporary eye conditions, such as dry eye and corneal swelling.

3/10/16

Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation

6 Ways Women Can Stop Vision Loss

Women account for 53% of the world’s population. However, 2/3 of the blind and visually impaired people in the world are women. While 80% of these women are in developing countries, women in developed countries like the US are still more likely to face vision loss than men.
women can stop vision loss

Why are women more prone to eye disease than men?

Women are the caregivers in families, taking care of the health of family members over themselves. In addition, with many having jobs outside the home, they don’t feel they have the time to go to the doctor until something major happens, especially related to vision.

Women live longer than men are at greater risk for age-related eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts.

Women are more likely to develop several autoimmune diseases that can affect their eyes including, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and Sj?gren’s syndrome.

75% of new breast cancer diagnosed each year is estrogen-sensitive. A common part of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer treatment includes the prescription of tamoxifen. More studies are being done, but cataracts due to tamoxifen have been identified in about 10% of the patients taking the drug.

What can women do to lessen their chances for eye disease?

Know your family history as genetics play and important role in your eye health, so know what eye diseases run in your family. Let your eye doctor know so he can look for early warning signs that can help prevent of lessen the conditions in you.

Get routine comprehensive, dilated eye exams starting at the age of 40, to create a baseline for your doctor to work from. After that you can go every 2-4 years until the age of 60. At 60+ have a compressive, dilated exam every two years if you are symptom-free and low risk.

Eat healthy and exercise. It is important to maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk of some eye diseases. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is also important as they can contain carotenoids an some antioxidants that appear to help with vision retention. It should also be noted that in many studies, supplements did not show the same beneficial effects as whole foods.

Stop smoking! You not only increase your risk for cancer and heart disease, but smoking is the only thing besides advancing age that has been proven to be directly related to AMD.

Avoid ultraviolet light by wearing sunglasses (with wide-brimmed hats) and indoor glasses with UV protection. While everyone knows the sun is a source of UV light, so are electronic screens such as your TV, computer, tablet or smartphone. Prescription glasses and readers can have a clear UV coating put on them that will not distort your color vision. If you don’t need vision correction, there is eyewear with no correction that is coated to protect your eyes to avoid dry eye and retinal damage.

Use cosmetics and contacts safely. Always wash your hands first. Throw away old makeup and lens solutions. Do not share cosmetics or apply while driving. Make sure to clean your lenses thoroughly before putting them in your eyes.

Because women are relied upon to take care of the family, vision loss that can impact that responsibility can be devastating to the entire family. And later in life, when they may have outlived a spouse, the isolation and depression can destroy their quality of life as they try to cope on their own.

Reach out to women you know and remind them to take an active part in their own healthcare. Especially with regards to their vision, when women are at a higher risk of vision loss than men.

4/7/15


Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation