Wouldn’t it be great if you could improve your cosmetic appearance with an eye drop?
Forget surgery or hours spent having false eyelashes applied, and the added risk of an eye infection or dry eye. Several topical glaucoma eyedrops have been repurposed to improve the appearance of the eye or the structures around the eye.
But is it safe? Let’s review the safety profile, potential side effects, and what to expect.
Eye drops for lid droop
As we get older, we lose muscle tone in our eyelids and the skin becomes loose and redundant. Lid ptosis is the term for eyelid droop. Droopy eyelids may be caused by aging, genetics, eye surgery, and other underlying medical conditions. It can be caused by cataract surgery, contact lens wear, or other medical conditions.
Blepharoplasty, a type of eyelid surgery for correcting blepharoptosis, is considered cosmetic surgery unless the lid is covering the pupil and affecting one’s vision.
UPNEEQ® can be used to treat acquired blepharoptosis instead. Blepharoptosis can be defined as an abnormal low-lying upper eyelid margin. The condition can develop with increasing age. UPNEEQ is an eye drop that temporarily raises the upper lid position, causing the eye to appear more open.
Participants in a clinical trial noticed a lift in the lid in as little as two hours. 84% had some improvement while 74% had more than 50% improvement. It’s possible for patients to notice a difference as soon as five minutes after the first dose of medication. Patients should apply one drop to the affected eye, once per day.
The most common side effects reported are eye inflammation, eye redness, dry eye, blurred vision, eye pain at the time of use, eye irritation, and headache. However, only 1-5% of patients who use UPNEEQ® experience side effects.
UPNEEQ is available by prescription only. Most medical insurance companies do not cover it.
Eye drops for redness
Chronic red eyes are typically due to one of three conditions: dry eye disease, overwear of contact lenses, or allergy eyes.
It’s abnormal for the eye to be red, so if you have chronic red eyes, you should be seen by an eye doctor. Better solutions are available for an allergy or dry eye diagnosis.
LUMIFY® is an eye drop that temporarily reduces the redness of the eye, helping the eye appear whiter for up to 8 hours.
LUMIFY is a low-dose brimonidine, a glaucoma medication, which restricts the veins of the eye without limiting oxygen flow. It’s considered the number one eye doctor-recommended redness reliever eye drop because it has fewer side effects than other redness drops.
You may occasionally experience red eyes due to environmental allergens, digital device use, lack of sleep, or dry conditions. One drop of this eye drop may be helpful.
LUMIFY works differently than other “get the red out” eyedrops and selectively targets redness with a reduced risk of side effects associated with other redness relievers, including rebound redness and loss of efficacy over time.
Rebound redness and loss of efficacy over time means patients who use it could be more likely to have redness when they stop using it, and loss of efficacy means the medication doesn’t work as well over time.
LUMIFY does not require a prescription and is available for purchase here.
Eye drops for eyelash growth
Who doesn’t want longer eyelashes without the upkeep and cost of faux lashes?
LATISSE® is an eye drop that foster the growth of your eyelashes. In fact, studies show most patients who use the drop can expect a 25% increase in length, a 106% growth in lash fullness and thickness, and an 18% improvement in lash darkness.
LATISSE is 0.03% bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, a medication formerly used to treat glaucoma. It should be applied to the top lid only with a sterile applicator supplied with the medication. The medication should not be used with contacts in the eye but reinserted 15 minutes after. If you stop using LATISSE, your lashes will return to their previous condition.
Potential side effects that may come with using LATISSE include itching and/or eye redness. These adverse effects were reported in approximately 4% of patients involved in clinical trials. Also, the eye drop may cause less common side effects close to the application site including skin darkening, eye irritation, eye dryness, and redness of the eyelids. Those with light colored eyes should talk to their doctor about these changes.
LATISSE is available by prescription only.
Impressively simple solutions
All three of the drops reviewed here are impressive! With just a drop in the eye used one time per day, you can change the things you may not love about your physical appearance.
- LATISSE can save you time and money on lash extensions.
- LUMIFY can eliminate those distracting red eyes you notice in your pictures.
- UPNEEQ can improve eye lid droop allowing your eyes to appear bright, wide, and awake.
As always, consult with your eye doctor prior to using a new medication to determine if it will be safe for you and to prevent any interactions with existing medications or conditions. If you do begin treatment and notice any side effects, stop the medication, and check with your doctor immediately.
