Eye irritation and makeup: what works?

Stephanie said:Could you please put those "fancy staph infections" in quotes again? I was totally agreeing with your first sentence until I realized what you actually meant! 🤣

Well, at least I gave you a good laugh! 😬

Kudos to anyone rocking two-week lenses. They’re the gold standard. I stick to monthly ones just because my budget won't stretch to the bi-weekly stuff. 😢
The absolute best option is dailies, but man, those will break the bank.

If you're wondering why people deal with constant infections, it usually boils down to this:

1. Leaving lenses sitting in solution for way too long before putting them back in. Once that solution sits there, it isn't sterile anymore. If you aren't wearing them daily, you need to refresh the solution every single time.
2. Monthly soft lenses are pretty subpar. They don't hold enough moisture, which is terrible for your eyes. Honestly, if you can't afford at least monthly or quarterly disposables, skip the contact lens thing entirely. You'll do more harm than good.
3. If you use monthly lenses, do NOT stretch them to two months or longer. They’re called monthly for a reason. That goes for any other lens type, too.
4. RGP lenses are arguably better; they reduce infection risks and supposedly help stabilize your prescription. Personally, I'm not built for them—they always scratch my eyes. 😢

Bottom line: follow the instructions on the box and you should be fine. 🙂

Yeah. Ideally, you should take your contacts out an hour before hitting the sack just to let your eyes breathe.
I once saw a guy who wore his lenses all day, every single day, until blood vessels actually started growing into his cornea because he wasn't getting enough oxygen.

Oh, and one more thing... DO NOT wear contacts overnight. Whoever tells you otherwise is lying to your face. Look, if you do it once because you stayed out too late at a party, fine. But don't make it a habit.
Your eye is already in a state of hypoxia—basically starved of oxygen—whenever your eyelids are closed, and adding a contact lens to the mix just makes things worse. Physiologically, your body compensates for that when you wake up, but if those lenses are still stuck to your eyes in the morning, guess what?

I can wear makeup just fine once I have my contacts in. I just make sure I don't touch anything that hasn't been dermatologically tested—basically, buy everything legit at a drugstore and don't be cheap about it. Most importantly, stick to mascaras that don't smudge.
Avoid loose powders.
It’s really not that difficult.

Hannah Scott69 said:Way to go to any girl rocking 2-week lenses! Those are definitely the healthiest choice. I actually stick to monthly ones just because my budget won't stretch to the 2-week ones right now.😢
The absolute best would be dailies, but man, those are pricey!

If you were talking about me, thanks so much for the compliment!

I usually grab my two-week Johnson & Johnson lenses at my local eye clinic near Times Square—they also carry them at Target.
They’re packaged under the shop's own label, but they’re genuine Johnson & Johnson products through and through.
A box comes with 6 lenses$50 and if you grab two boxes, you can snag a little discount.
To be honest, I wear them as long as they feel comfortable; the second they start feeling a bit irritating, I toss them.
Sometimes that happens after just a few days, other times they last well over two weeks.

And I totally agree with your first point—you absolutely have to change your contact lens solution EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I have this habit where I do my makeup first and then put my lenses in.
I know it’s not ideal, but once my contacts are in, I can't get anywhere near my eyes!
I try to use regular mascara rather than waterproof stuff (less chemicals, and it's easier to wash off), and nothing with those heavy fibers that make lashes look longer, since they tend to flake off.

Everything seems fine... though you really should put on your contacts before starting your skincare routine (not sure why you think that’s weird).

Just a heads-up on how nasty some fungi can get:

Acanthamoeba keratitis—which is basically an inflammation of the cornea—happens when this stuff hitches a ride in your contact lens solution or eye drops.
It finds its way through tiny cracks in the cornea. Even with antibiotics and antifungals, treatment is often pretty ineffective.

So, feel free to gamble with your eyesight if you want. Personally, I won’t.

I've worn contacts for six years and haven't dealt with a single instance of redness or infection. That said, my application routine takes about 5 to 10 minutes. I wash my hands and let them air dry so I don't have to use a towel and risk getting lint in my eyes. Okay, maybe that sounds a bit extra, but still.

Hannah Scott69 said:Everything sounds great... though I’d definitely suggest putting your contacts in before doing your makeup (not sure why you think that's weird!)

The closest anything can get to my eye while wearing my contacts is about three feet,
so I guess skipping the plastering work is out of the question!

But honestly, after all these years, I've become such a pro that I never accidentally poke myself in the eye.

I usually just let my hands air-dry,
but since I always end up putting my lenses in at the very last second, I usually find myself frantically waving my hands around like a little handheld fan just to dry off faster!😬

polly said:I just air-dry my hands too.
I apply the last layer of lotion at the very last second, then I end up faking being a desk fan just to speed up the drying process.😬

We can share a therapist at this rate. If we both think we're household appliances, we might as well split the bill.😬