Episode 4: Time to Sparkle with Alison Ng

Are you finding it challenging to discuss cosmetic use with your dry eye or contact lens patients without causing upset? In the fourth episode of Scope Connect, "Time to Sparkle," Dr. Byki Huntjens speaks with Dr Alison Ng, an Independent Optometric Consultant and clinical scientist formerly at the Centre for Ocular Research and Education, about the potential impact of cosmetics on eye health and practical strategies for promoting ocular surface well-being. Discover how to guide your patients toward eye-friendly choices that help them manage their ocular surface health while still enjoying their favourite cosmetic routines.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What constitutes opto-cosmetics, including colour cosmetics and personal care products.
• Specific ingredients and formulations known to pose risks to the ocular surface, such as glitter, retinoids, and prostaglandin analogues found in lash growth serums, and their potential effects like impacts on meibomian glands or irritation and hyperpigmentation.
• A valuable resource – the TFOS Lifestyle series cosmetics report, specifically Table 10 – that lists key ingredients practitioners should be aware of.
• Recognisable signs of ocular reactions to cosmetics, including foreign bodies from glitter or the appearance of eyeliner floating in the tear film.
• Effective approaches to educate patients, using tools like anterior eye imaging to show them the impact of cosmetic use and removal habits.
• How to provide practical advice on removing makeup, including specific techniques for different product types (like biphasic cleansers for waterproof formulations).
• A useful clinical pearl for makeup removal: washing the face first with a gentle cleanser to rehydrate cosmetics before using an eye makeup remover.
• The importance of advocating for good cosmetic hygiene, such as regular product replacement, cleaning application tools, washing hands, and the crucial rule of not sharing cosmetics.
• Insights into concerning trends like DIY eye cosmetic recipes and how to address patient misconceptions.

Gain valuable insights to support your dry eye and contact lens patients in making informed choices about their cosmetic use, enhancing their ocular surface health without dimming their sparkle. Listen to "Time to Sparkle" now and discover how to confidently integrate cosmetic guidance into your patient care.