Ocular effects of eye cosmetic formulations

Abstract

Objective

To study the ocular effects seen among eye cosmetic wearers in the Indian Population.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on female participants who had fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A detailed history was obtained and thorough ophthalmic evaluation was done. Mann Whitney U test was used. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS. p < .05 was taken as the level of statistical significance.

Results

Among a total of 225 participants in our study, the mean age was 24.23 ± 1.8, which comprised of young student females. Majority of the females used one eye cosmetic with Kajal (n = 156) being the most predominant. Most frequently encountered symptom upon using eye cosmetics was watering from eyes and ocular pain was the least encountered symptom. Anterior segment examination showed- allergic conjunctivitis and meibomian gland dysfunction being the most and least predominant, respectively. Our study highlights that Kajal predisposes the eyes to significant ocular morbidity with p = .039 for dry eye disease, p = .041 for allergic conjunctivitis, p = .036 for conjunctival pigmentation. Prolonged use of such formulations for more than 4 times a week (p = .046) or even daily (p = .031) for a duration of either 1–5 years (p = .033) or greater than 5 years (p = .027) was found to be statistically significant in causing ocular signs. Non removal of eye cosmetics at the end of the day was significant in causing allergic conjunctivitis (p = .035) and conjunctival pigmentation (p = .021). Plain tap water has been found to be the least effective technique in the removal of such ocular cosmetics with a statistical significance of p = .031 in causing ocular signs.

Conclusions

Eye cosmetics are a significant contributor to the development of ocular surface diseases. Removal of products along with decreased usage seems to be a significant contributor in dampening unwanted adverse effects.

Keywords:

• Allergic conjunctivitis
• dry eye disease
• eye cosmetics
• ocular morbidity
• Kajal

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Dasana Sunny, Department of ophthalmology, KVG Medical College and Hospital for her support related to biostatistics.

Disclosure statement

All the authors have seen and agree with the contents of the manuscript and there is no financial interest to report. We certify that the submission is an original work and is not under review at any other publication.

Author contributions

All authors agree that they were involved in the conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of the data, the drafting of the paper, revising the paper critically for intellectual content, the final approval of the version to be published and are also accountable for all aspects of the work.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author [M.B.]. The data are not publicly available due to ethical restrictions, i.e., their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.