IT’S NOT EASY TO WEAR MAKEUP AND CONTACT LENSES. CLEANLINESS AND CARE IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THERE IS NO INTERFERENCE WITH VISION OR DAMAGE TO THE CONTACT LENS.

Gary Orsborn, OD, MS, FAAO, FBCLA, Vice President of Global Professional & Clinical Affairs at CooperVision gave us the following tips that ECPs can recommend to their patients so they can safely wear makeup and avoid infection and discomfort while wearing contact lenses.

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with non-moisturizing, non-antibacterial soap.

2.Put your contacts in before applying any makeup around the eye.

3.If you feel any discomfort, makeup may have inadvertently come in contact with the lens. Remove the contact lens, inspect it for any makeup residue and rinse and rub the lens with non-peroxide solutions before putting it back in the eye.

4. Using a one-day replacement schedule may be a more suitable option for makeup wearers, as a fresh new lens every day will not hold any residual makeup from previous days.

5.Advise patients to apply makeup in a well-lit environment to reduce the chance of accidentally touching the lens with the makeup applicator.