I never really thought about it before but with lots of make-up, face-paint, colored contacts and false eyelashes Halloween can be pretty scary when it comes to eye health. I myself wear glasses and/or contacts depending on my mood as well as my husband so I should have a better idea about the importance of protecting my eyes but I really don’t. This October, VSP Vision Care, the
nation’s largest not-for-profit vision care company, put together a list
of tips and tricks for creating costumes that keep your eyes healthy. I am always learning new things and I think these tips are ones that we all need to remember.
Here are a few of their tips:
- Don?t dye eyebrows or eyelashes. The FDA has never approved using hair dye on eyebrows and eyelashes. This can cause an allergic reaction, such as irritation, or swelling around the eye are, or even blindness. Stick to using an eyebrow pencil or mascara for eyebrows and eyelashes.
- Don?t use non-FDA approved makeup. Even hypoallergenic makeup products can cause a negative skin reaction.
Watch out for signs of irritation, a skin rash, itching, or minor
swelling. You should test a small amount of makeup on your arm a few
days before you wear it to make sure it is safe. - Don?t wear decorative or costume contact lenses (which are illegal to sell). Decorative lenses might include cheap plastic materials or toxic dyes.
Also, individuals unfamiliar with wearing contacts may not insert or
remove them correctly. You could scratch your cornea, have an allergic
reaction, get an eye infection, or even go blind. However, if you insist
on wearing contacts for Halloween get a proper examination and
prescription from your eye doctor. Visit an eyecare professional
immediately if you experience eye redness, vision blurriness, or eye
discomfort. - Don?t sleep in your makeup.
Remove all of your makeup before you go to bed to prevent skin
irritation by following the directions explicitly stated on your makeup
product. For example, the directions may tell you to use a cold cream,
or just soap and water.
You can find the complete guide to Halloween eye health by visiting SeeMuchMore.com in the ?Learn about Your Eyes? section with explanations for all their tips. Protecting your eyes can be such a simple thing to overlook and even though some of these tips are common sense it is still a great reminder since we all forget stuff now and then. Makeup can be especially fun on Halloween since you can go a little crazy with it just ensure that your families? costumes not only look great, but that they also support healthy vision.
