Woman Risks Blindness After Failing To Remove Mascara, Gruesome Photos Released To Raise Awareness
When lubricating gels and eye drops did little to alleviate her continuous eye irritation, Theresa Lynch, a 50-year-old mother-of-two, sought the advice of ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Dana Robaei. What the doctor found was unlike anything she had ever seen.
Theresa had a habit that many women share, although maybe not to this degree. She was not diligent in removing her eye makeup at bedtime. Daily Mail reported that, after failing to wash away her mascara for nearly half her life, the underside of Theresa’s eyelids collected solid black lumps that were embedded into the skin beneath her eyelid.
Ms. Lynch became worried when the uncomfortable, gritty sensation gave way to discharge and swelling. She was astonished to find that there were actually “calcified bumps, known as concretions, under her eyelids.” Theresa stated that, when the doctor pulled back her eyelid to observe the issue, she exclaimed, “Oh my god. In my whole career, I have never seen anything like this.”
She was shocked by Dr. Robaei’s findings and was exceedingly concerned that there was permanent damage to her eye. Realizing that the calcifications were a serious risk, one that could cause her to lose her vision completely, Theresa immediately underwent a procedure to remove the lumps. The removal of the dark calcified lumps took 90 minutes.
In an interview, Theresa Lynch explained that she had fallen into a habit of not washing off her mascara and admits that she should never have let it get as bad as it did.
“It’s so important to properly take your makeup off every single night. You can’t miss a single day.”
In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of proper makeup removal, Dr. Dana Robaei wrote a paper about Theresa’s case, who agreed to release the photos proving just how dangerous it can be to leave mascara on our lashes.
https://t.co/xTOV6zyx24 Importance of meticulous eye makeup removal! #makeup #eyecare #eyedisease
— Dr Dana Robaei, PhD FRANZCO (@DrRobaei) June 1, 2018
Live Science reported that Lynch’s doctor revealed the dark lumps under her eyelid were actually caused by a buildup of mascara that had found its way under the lid and beneath her skin.
“The lumps were embedded so deep that particles were building up on top of each other. I was so uncomfortable. My eyelids were swollen and heavy because I left it for so long.”
Dr. Robaei confirmed that Theresa now has permanent scarring to both her eyelid and her cornea. She further expressed that there aren’t enough women treating mascara removal seriously, and implores women of all ages to practice a stringent makeup removal routine.