The video — which has nearly 13 million views — shows a patient who has worn eyeliner in their waterline since they were a teenager. The patient's oil glands are now blocked...and you can see the oil being released with an instrument.
BuzzFeed spoke to the eye doctor behind the TikTok: Dr. Brittani Carver-Schemper. She has been an optometrist for 20 years and is currently the co-owner of Better Vision Optometric Center in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Dr. Carver-Schemper explained that our eyelids have special oil glands called Meibomian Glands. "They produce and secrete our tears' oil layer that protects the tear film and keeps our tears healthy. Without good quality oil and healthy tears, we will develop Dry Eye Disease that could affect our vision and cause discomfort to our eyes."
And what about wearing eyeliner in your waterline only on occasion? Dr. Carver-Schemper does not recommend doing it at all — and no type of eyeliner is "safe" to put in your waterline either. "It doesn't matter what kind of eyeliner it is, all of them can obstruct the oils glands and cause irreversible gland damage," she said.
View this video on YouTube
The symptoms of damaged or clogged oil glands can include dry, burning, itchy, or gritty eyes, and blurry vision. But for a proper diagnosis, your optometrist will perform many tests. "There are specialized cameras that can take pictures of oil glands in the lid. Your eye doctor will review the images and will assess the health of the glands. Your eye doctor may also press along the lid margin to check for obstruction and evaluate function and oil consistency," explained Dr. Carver-Schemper.
In conclusion, what did we learn today?! Don't wear eyeliner in your waterline if you want your eyes to be healthy!!!
