Woman’s Habit of Wearing Makeup to Bed Results in Incurable, Debilitating Eye Condition: ‘It’s Too Risky’

A woman in Idaho is hoping to warn others who enjoy a little glam to never sleep with their eye makeup on after she developed a serious and debilitating medical issue.

Sarah Koseki says she used to love doing elaborate eye makeup looks and didn’t think much of going to bed with her makeup still on, according to SWNS (via The New York Post). She explained that she always had good skin, so she thought she’d be OK and wouldn’t break out. However, breakouts ended up being the least of her worries.

While on a trip to Mexico five years ago, she woke up with her eyelid stuck to her eye, explaining, “it was like Velcro.” At first, doctors told her she had dry eyes caused by genetics, but when the pain and irritation continued, resulting in agonizing corneal tears every three months or so, she knew something was wrong.

Eventually, specialists diagnosed her with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), an incurable eye condition that causes glands in one’s eyelids to get blocked. Doctors believe she developed this as a direct result of her makeup habits. Now, she must constantly deal with corneal tears that leave her unable to work, see her kids or do anything but sit in the dark until the pain subsides — usually about two days.

Fortunately, she’s fallen into a routine of eye drops six times per day, washing her eyes with tea tree oil and using a heat mask to help prevent the tears.

“There are so many pain receptors in the eye; I would rather go through childbirth again than have another corneal tear,” she told the outlet. “It’s so debilitating; you can’t drive, you can’t work, you can’t see. I now never wear eye makeup as it’s too risky.”