Are Your Anti-Aging Cream & Lash Serum Causing Dry Eyes? What You Need to Know

Retinoids are widely used for skin care, including products designed to improve fine lines, wrinkles, and skin texture. But when products are applied too close to the eyes, it is important to understand how they may affect the delicate tissues around your eyelids and potentially your meibomian glands.

Your meibomian glands produce the oils that help stabilize your tear film and prevent your tears from evaporating too quickly. When these glands become dysfunctional, it can contribute to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) and dry eye disease.

Can Retinoids Applied Near Your Lids Cause Irritation?

Retinoid products, like tretinoin cream or Retin-A products, can cause skin dryness and irritation. Because the skin around your eyes is delicate, be especially careful about where you apply these products.

If you use retinoid products around your eyes:

• Keep the product about 1 cm away from the lid margin
• Stay outside the orbital bone
• Feel where the edge of the bone is and avoid putting retinoid products inside that area

Being careful about where you apply these products can help limit irritation around your eyes.

What About Lash Boosters and Lash Serums?

If you like longer lashes, be aware of the ingredients you are applying around your eyes.

Latisse® is a prescription drug containing bimatoprost. Bimatoprost was originally used as a glaucoma treatment, and its side effect of eyelash growth later became the basis for its use as a lash-growth treatment.

Latisse is not benign. Possible side effects include:

• Dry eyes
• Eyelid irritation and itchiness
• Red eyes
• Darkening of the skin around the eyes

Bimatoprost can also affect the meibomian glands and has been associated with MGD and loss of meibomian glands.

Retinoids Can Also Affect the Meibomian Glands

Accutane® (isotretinoin) is an oral medication used to treat acne. While isotretinoin reduces the production and activity of sebaceous glands in the skin, it can also affect the meibomian glands of the eyelids, which may contribute to MGD and dry eye disease.

Research has associated isotretinoin exposure with:

• Poor-quality meibum
• Tear film instability
• Dry eye symptoms
• Blepharitis

Retinoid treatment can cause dry eye syndrome and blepharoconjunctivitis. These eye-related side effects have been reported in 20–50% of patients treated with retinoids.

Recurrent styes and chalazions can be a result of retinoid medications. They can also be from demodex mite infestation of your eyelids and oil glands. Although retinoids can help in facial rosacea even from mites as they reduce sebum production and therefore decrease the overall demodex load on the face (Chakmakchi et al), you should not use them near your eyes for this reason as they will harm your meibomian glands. 

We have effective treatments for demodex blepharitis (eyelid crusting) such as Xdemvy (lotilaner) which are a great adjunct to help dry eye disease from MGD as well and has been shown to improve meibum flow even if we don’t see mites on your eyelashes. 

Don’t Forget Your Makeup

Make sure to remove your makeup every night.

Makeup buildup can contribute to embedded makeup in the conjunctiva, dysfunction of goblet cells and tear production, and an increased bacterial load on the eyelids. This can contribute to styes and chalazions.

Taking care of your eyelids is an important part of taking care of your ocular surface health and long term health of your meibomian glands.

Are There Safer Alternatives for Lash Growth?

If you want longer lashes, coconut oil is one alternative mentioned for lash care.

Dr. Pradhan also recommends Dr. Diane Campo’s Twenty/Twenty Beauty company, which offers products designed with ingredients that do not cause dry eyes. You can learn more about their eyelash growth serum, ingredients, and eye-safety standards on their website.

Protect Your Meibomian Glands

Your meibomian glands play an important role in keeping your tear film stable and protecting your ocular surface. Because MGD is a major cause of dry eye disease, it is important to be aware of the products you use around your eyes.

If you are experiencing dryness, irritation, redness, recurrent chalazions, or changes in your comfort after starting a skin-care or lash-growth product, talk with your eye doctor.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) and Radiofrequency (RF)

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is one of the most effective treatments for dry eye disease from MGD. It stimulates the stem cells of the meibomian glands to make healthier oil and has been shown to significantly help dry eye disease [Lei et al]. Radiofrequency (with the Lumenis OptiPlus) is an adjunctive treatment which also helps MGD and meibum flow. The combination (IPL + RF) can get you feeling better and help the root cause of disease. While these are not covered by insurance, they are worth the investment in your ocular health. Dr. Pradhan has been performing IPL since 2017 and may be the first doctor in the area to have performed IPL for dry eye and MGD.

Partner with Dr. Pradhan to evaluate your ocular surface, identify any underlying meibomian gland damage, and craft a personalized plan to keep your vision protected and support your Vision Healthspan for as long as possible. Call our office at (804) 270-3333 to book your appointment today!

Your eye health starts with the small choices you make every day including what you put around your eyes.

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Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3368077/#R67

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42554012

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27749251

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3694789

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/drugs/latisse-for-eyelash-growth