In today’s world, where appearance may leave a lasting first impression, no longer are aesthetic procedures a subject of admiration. They are essential for pursuit of timeless beauty. From smoothing wrinkles to perfecting eyelashes, transformative results await.
Although, some of these aesthetic procedures may come at a cost. Taking a closer look, diminished signs of aging and enhanced appearance may be accompanied by unwanted dry and irritated eyes.
But, don’t let dry eye put off aesthetic treatments. With a little more context, let us navigate our ways to both beauty and dry eye relief.
Eyelash Extensions/eyeliner tattoos
While many aspects of modern society continue to evolve, certain ideals remain timeless—eyes have long been considered a key feature of beauty and attractiveness. This is perhaps why many individuals seek eyelash extensions.
A fuller lash line draws attention. An eyelash length of approximately one-third width of an eye with defined eyelines seem to enhance natural beauty and draw attention! [1]
However, eyelash extensions may have adverse effects on eye health. Adhesives used during the procedure often contain irritants like formaldehyde that may disturb the eyes. [2] Additionally, the added density of lashes and high curvatures increase evaporation at the eye surface and reduce the shielding effects of lashes! [3] Up to 80% of individuals experience dry eye symptoms, commonly reporting foreign body sensation and dryness due to increased tear breakup—a key indicator of dry eye! [2,4]
Blepharoplasty
If cosmetic blepharoplasty isn’t a familiar term, how about double eye lid surgery?
A well-defined upper lid crease is often considered attractive. Visually, the double eyelid makes the eyes look bigger and stand out, highlighting the aesthetics of one’s eyes.
Although the eyelid crease stands out, eyes may not be very fond of it. Aesthetic procedures done on facial muscles, like blepharoplasty may affect the interaction between the eyelids, tear film, and ocular surface. [5] A reduced rate and force of blink after blepharoplasty may disturb mechanical distribution of the tears across the eye surface. Swelling or changes in eyelid position may also interfere with normal blinking, and in some cases, leave the eyes more vulnerable to dryness and irritation. Keep in mind that there are meibomian glands along the eyelids too. If these glands are damaged and recovering, the tears may start to evaporate faster than before. [5,6,7]
Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Injections
Botox is a popular aesthetic treatment to revitalize the appearance of the skin. By temporarily relaxing facial muscles, Botox injections reduce wrinkles and fine lines, particularly near the forehead, frown lines, and crow’s feet around the eyes. This treatment brings a renewed and enriched look with natural beauty, improving not just the wrinkles but also smoothness, texture, and pores of the skin.
But, can Botox really lead to dry eye symptoms? While Botox is widely accepted for its cosmetic benefits in smoothing out wrinkles, in rare cases, it can weaken muscles around the eyes and alter blinking. [8] Extending beyond the muscles, Botox may disrupt the meibomian glands, accelerating tear evaporation! [9]
Laser eye surgeries
Laser eye surgeries, such as Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK), are commonly performed to correct vision errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. [10] But vision correction isn’t the only reason people opt for LASIK/LASEK or similar forms of corrective eye surgery. For some, the motivation is greater than medical necessity—they seek the aesthetic benefits of a glasses-free lifestyle such as improved personal style, preference, and convenience.
One potential side effect of LASIK/LASEK and other refractive surgeries is dry eye, especially early after the surgeries with nearly 95% of the patients reporting some dryness. [11,12] Approximately 40% experience dry eyes for more than six months, and symptoms improve in most at 6-12 months. [13,14] Managing these dry eye symptoms is a key step of post-laser eye surgery care!
Importance of Lid Hygiene
Aesthetic procedures like Botox and eyelid surgeries can enhance the look, but they can also impact the delicate skin around the eyes and even contribute to dry eye symptoms.
During the journey of aesthetic procedures, eye health should be prioritized as much as achieving a renewed look. Proper lid hygiene is essential for maintaining both eye health and the longevity of aesthetic results. Keeping the eyelids and lashes clean helps prevent irritation, reduces inflammation, and supports a stable tear film, especially when procedures alter blink function or meibomian gland performance.
Soap free, paraben free, and fragrance free, CALMO® Lid Care gently removes ocular debris and makeup from the eyelids and eye lashes, without the common burning and stinging from soaps! On top of it, CALMO® Lid Care’s is a liposomal (oily) suspension, very similar to our natural oils in tear film. Instead of removing natural oils, it adds to them and helps stabilize the tear film! Now available in different pack sizes as well—CALMO® Lid Care 30mL and 70mL, tailored to different needs!
NACLINO™ Lid Wipes are saline-only, sterile wipes for mechanical cleaning of the eyelids and lashes. Packed in individual sachets, premoistened NACLINO™ Wipes are a popular choice by leading eye health professionals to keep the eyelids, lashes, and eyelid margin clean!
Lubricate the Eyes
Once the eyelids and lashes are clean, the next step in maintaining eye health after aesthetic procedures is hydrating the ocular surface. Replenish and lock in the moisture for optimal well-being of the eyes with lubricating eye drops.
For effective and long-lasting relief, preservative-free drops like HYLO® mini & HYLO® is important. With high-quality and high molecular weight sodium hyaluronate, HYLO® mini & HYLO® provide highly viscous drops that lubricate the eyes, with fewer drops needed daily!
The unique, innovative HYLO® bottle technology also dispenses sterile drops, one at a time!
Did you know? HYLO® mini is a great starter pack size for first time users with 5mL, 150 drops. For long-term and loyal users, HYLO® with 10mL, 300 drops is readily available!
With our dry eye and lid hygiene treatments, find both alluring look and optimal eye health!
HYLO® mini / HYLO® and CALMO® Lid Care are available Canada-wide at your local optometry and ophthalmology clinics or pharmacies, behind the counter.
Should you have any concerns about your health or eye health, please consult with your health professional for medical assistance.
CandorVision™ — Your eyes are everything!
References:
Pazhoohi F, Kingstone A. Eyelash length attractiveness across ethnicities. Sci Rep. 2023 Sep 8;13(1):14849. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-41739-5. PMID: 37684317; PMCID: PMC10491613.
Han J, Xie Z, Zhu X, Ruan W, Lin M, Xu Z, Miao L, Zhong J, Lu F, Hu L. The effects of eyelash extensions on the ocular surface. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2024 Apr;47(2):102109. doi: 10.1016/j.clae.2023.102109. Epub 2024 Jan 3. Erratum in: Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2024 Dec;47(6):102286. doi: 10.1016/j.clae.2024.102286. PMID: 38171996.
Grupcheva CN, Grupchev DI, Usheva N, Grupcheva LO. Beauty versus Health-How Eyelash Extensions May Affect Dry Eye Disease? J Clin Med. 2024 May 25;13(11):3101. doi: 10.3390/jcm13113101. PMID: 38892811; PMCID: PMC11173262.
Amador GJ, Mao W, DeMercurio P, Montero C, Clewis J, Alexeev A, Hu DL. Eyelashes divert airflow to protect the eye. J R Soc Interface. 2015 Apr 6;12(105):20141294. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1294. PMID: 25716186; PMCID: PMC4387520.
Belmonte C, Nichols JJ, Cox SM, Brock JA, Begley CG, Bereiter DA, Dartt DA, Galor A, Hamrah P, Ivanusic JJ, Jacobs DS, McNamara NA, Rosenblatt MI, Stapleton F, Wolffsohn JS. TFOS DEWS II pain and sensation report. Ocul Surf. 2017 Jul;15(3):404-437. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.002. Epub 2017 Jul 20. PMID: 28736339; PMCID: PMC5706540.
Hamawy AH, Farkas JP, Fagien S, Rohrich RJ. Preventing and managing dry eyes after periorbital surgery: a retrospective review. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009 Jan;123(1):353-359. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31819346ea. PMID: 19116572.
Kiang L, Deptula P, Mazhar M, Murariu D, Parsa FD. Muscle-sparing blepharoplasty: a prospective left-right comparative study. Arch Plast Surg. 2014 Sep;41(5):576-83. doi: 10.5999/aps.2014.41.5.576. Epub 2014 Sep 15. PMID: 25276652; PMCID: PMC4179364.
Ozgur OK, Murariu D, Parsa AA, Parsa FD. Dry eye syndrome due to botulinum toxin type-A injection: guideline for prevention. Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2012 May;71(5):120-3. PMID: 22737648; PMCID: PMC3360079.
Sawaed A, Friedrich SN, Farhan A, Nassar A, Hamed M, Hartstein M, Hamed Azzam S. The effect of botulinum neurotoxin A injections on meibomian glands and dry eye. Ocul Surf. 2025 Jan;35:25-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2024.11.009. Epub 2024 Nov 30. PMID: 39622451.
Laser Eye Surgery [Internet]. Government of Canada; 2012 [cited 2025 Feb 10]. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-procedures/laser-eye-surgery.html
Yu EY, Leung A, Rao S, Lam DS. Effect of laser in situ keratomileusis on tear stability. Ophthalmology. 2000 Dec;107(12):2131-5. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(00)00388-2. PMID: 11097583.
Yahalomi T, Achiron A, Arnon R, Stanescu N, Pikkel J. Dry Eye Disease following LASIK, PRK, and LASEK: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study. J Clin Med. 2023 May 30;12(11):3761. doi: 10.3390/jcm12113761. PMID: 37297956; PMCID: PMC10253504.
Toda I. Dry Eye After LASIK. Investig Opthalmology Amp Vis Sci [Internet]. 2018 Nov 27 [cited 2025 Feb 11];59(14):DES109. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.17-23538
Shtein RM. Post-LASIK dry eye. Expert Rev Ophthalmol. 2011 Oct;6(5):575-582. doi: 10.1586/eop.11.56. PMID: 22174730; PMCID: PMC3235707.
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