By Jane Herz for Dailymail.com
19:31 11 Jul 2024, updated 19:43 11 Jul 2024
An optometrist has revealed five things he would never do – and one of them could lead to a potentially scary and dangerous infection.
The crucial information was recently shared on TikTok by Dr. Jennifer Tsai, a Manhattan-based optometrist who specializes in eye health and vision care.
Tsai started giving viewers bad news from the beginning.
She revealed that you might want to reconsider those eyelash extensions as they can possibly cause a whole host of eye problems, including infection.
“They’re beautiful, but I’ve seen a lot of damage from lash loss, styes and infections,” Tsai admitted.
She then said that she would never forget to double cleanse around the eye area and remove makeup.
Double cleansing, which involves washing your face with an oil-based cleanser followed by a water-based one, is a routine that professionals have long touted as something that can make a positive difference in skin health.
Some of the benefits of this skin care method include preventing clogged pores, which can make skin care products sink into the skin more easily.
It also ensures that you remove every inch of dirt and grime left from makeup on your face.
Tsai is clearly a fan of double cleansing, as she explained that failing to do this step can cause oil glands to become clogged, which can lead to issues like dry eye syndrome.
The third thing the optometrist insisted I would never do is get fillers under my eyes.
Dermal filler, often simply referred to as filler, is a type of injectable that can smooth lines on the face, plump up certain areas and make sagging skin appear tighter, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
It’s become a bit of a controversial topic in recent years, with one plastic surgeon even sharing his unpopular opinions on the injections in December, claiming that the filler can last for decades.
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Tsai seemed to share a similar sentiment as well.
“It’s not a good place to do it, because you usually see migration happening, and it’s very transparent in that area because the tissue is so thin, so it’s pretty obvious when it’s done,” he explained.
The fourth point on her list was to avoid wearing contact lenses other than daily wear.
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“It’s basically impossible to remember when to change contact lenses on time, and that causes a host of other problems,” Tsai said.
To be precise, the host of other problems Tsai talks about include corneal abrasions, corneal ulcers and damage to corneal stem cells, according to Contacts Direct.
And last but not least, the optometrist shared what can lead to a terrible infection: swimming in lakes, pools or even hot tubs while wearing contact lenses.
“It can cause acanthamoeba, which is a pretty serious infection that causes vision loss around the eyes,” he explained.
Acanthamoeba, although rare, is an amoeba that can be spread to the eyes through contact lenses, cuts or wounds in the skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the comments section of Tsai’s video, users seemed to agree with her list, including a fellow professional.
“I’ve seen many patients with crazy infections from sleeping with their contacts in,” one person shared.
Another wrote: ‘Fillers under the eyes and around the bridge of the nose can also cause very dry eyes – I’m currently experiencing this.’
“Eyelash extensions were the worst decision I’ve ever made,” another person admitted.
So, the next time you’re thinking about wearing your contacts in a pool or making an appointment for eyelash extensions, you might want to think twice.
