Eye health,Ophthalmology houston

Eyelashes closeup

We love to focus our blog articles on questions we get every day at our office.  And this is definitely one of them.

Since they are the windows to our souls, ladies know the importance of making sure their eyes look beautiful.  What better way to do that than with long, thick, beautiful eyelashes?

If you aren’t born with a natural set of these, the great news is that there are so many posh new salons and lash studios where ladies can go to get eyelash extensions.

Some ladies claim that with these eyelash extensions, they do not need as much makeup application, making their “getting ready” process much quicker.

But you may wonder, are eyelash extensions safe?

What are the potential hazards that may come from having your eyelashes “augmented”?

Eyelash extensions typically come with two eye related issues.

First, eyelash extensions typically require some sort of glue, which can be very irritating to the eye and the delicate skin around the eye.  Second, bacterial growth tends to increase on false eyelashes.  While this cannot be seen without microscopy, the extra bacteria often leads to inflamed eyelid skin and inflamed eyes.  This leads many people to have red, tired, or dry eyes.

Many people ask us if they should have their eyelash extensions removed before surgery, such as cataract surgery or LASIK.

In general, our doctors recommend removing eyelash extensions at least a week before eye surgery to reduce the bacterial load on the skin around the eye.

At Slade & Baker Vision, we highly prioritize achieving the best safety profile possible, which definitely includes lowering the risk of infections.

That being said, eyelash extensions, if applied by a certified lash technician should be relatively safe if taken proper care of regularly hygienically.  If you feel like your eyes are drier, or more tired after you get these extensions, then you may need to have them removed. We cannot comment on the long term effects they may cause to your own natural lashes, but if you have any questions about your eyes after extensions or potential infections, please call us at 713-626-5544!