Woman Nearly Loses Sight After Never Taking Makeup Off

As a busy mum, it can be difficult to find time for taking makeup off, but one woman has learnt the importance of cleansing your face the hard way…

We’re constantly told that taking makeup off is one of the most important steps in the quest for perfect skin, but it turns out that forgetting to remove your eye makeup can have a negative impact on your health.

Sydney woman, Theresa, was almost blinded after she failed to take off her mascara properly for more than 25 years!

Permanent Damage

Theresa paid a visit to her doctor after some eye drops she was using to soothe eye irritation failed to provide relief, KIIS 106.5 reports. What the doctor discovered was truly stomach turning. Little black lumps were found underneath Theresa’s eyelids which turned out to be a build-up of mascara. Twenty-five years worth to be precise!

The Importance of Taking Makeup Off

“The lumps were embedded so deep that particles were building up on top of each other. I was so uncomfortable.” Theresa said. “My eyelids were swollen and heavy because I left it for so long.”

Theresa admits that the problem was entirely self-inflicted. “I had fallen into a bad habit of wearing a lot of makeup and not washing it off,” she said. “I should never have let it get this far.”

Serious Consequences

Theresa’s doctor said she was lucky that she hadn’t caused significant damage to her sight.

“Every time Teresa was blinking these bumps were rubbing on the surface of the eye and they pose a risk to her vision,” she said.

“She has suffered permanent scarring on her eyelid and the surface of her cornea. The symptoms are like somebody throwing a handful of sand in your eye, it’s constantly irritating.”

If you find yourself making excuses for not taking your makeup off, let this story be a warning!

Find an extra five minutes, grab a makeup wipe at the very least, and save yourself the horror of permanent damage.

Are you guilty of sleeping in your makeup? Tell us in the comments!

64 Comments

- - ashna9 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    8:07 pm
I can’t imagine never taking make up off? How did she clean her face?
- Ellen replied
  
  13 Aug 2020 , 4:20 am
  Probably she didn’t 🙁
- - BellaB said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    7:00 pm
Ooh yuk. I think I’ve only slept in my makeup once in my entire life.

- - Zmijka86 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    6:27 pm
I never slept in my makeup…there is always a time to remove it

- - Sal said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    4:47 pm
Oh my gosh how scary! That is so crazy!

- - Ness904 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    3:09 pm
Oh my goodness! How can you not remove makeup be careful people!

- - mom462929 said
  - 12 Aug 2020
    1:42 pm
I could not go to bed without washing my face. Scary photo…almost needed a warning before looking.

- - mom385887 said
  - 29 Jun 2019
    8:27 pm
Omg, my eyes are burning just from reading this article. I used to forget to take my make up off when I was younger but im glad I kicked that habit!

- - curlytops said
  - 09 Jun 2019
    2:35 pm
I wondered what happens to long term effect of not removing make up. here it is!

- - nealsq said
  - 31 May 2019
    9:58 pm
I hate the feeling of makeup on my skin at bed time, i take as much off as i can and still wake up with panda eyes

- - DaffyD said
  - 31 May 2019
    2:54 pm
Thats just lazy and gross

- - musicmum said
  - 25 May 2019
    10:23 pm
25 years! How crazy to leave chemicals on your face for that long, it is a wonder she did not go blind. I think people are wearing too much for too long, okay for a special occasion but we need to embrace the natural look more, men get away with it so why do women have to mask up all the time risking their health?

- - rovermum said
  - 22 May 2019
    9:29 am
This is ridiculous and obviously totally unnecessary. How can you not take your make-up off properly? I’m lucky to wear make-up once a month and I know that you’re not supposed to wear it bed, but to wash it off.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 21 May 2019
    12:17 pm
Yikes, that is atrocious. Glad she didn’t lose her sight!!

- - ella12 said
  - 21 May 2019
    11:52 am
That doesn’t look good. I generally remember to take off my makeup, the majority of the time.

- - happymum2018 said
  - 21 May 2019
    9:24 am
I dont wear makeup much any more myself though I’m happy to say I will pay more attention to cleaning my face of makeup now thankyou for the read!

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 21 May 2019
    9:02 am
Well that’s sufficiently gross. Glad I don’t wear makeup much.

- - rachel1970 said
  - 21 May 2019
    7:33 am
OMG, this is horrific. You should always take your makeup off before bed, I guess if it’s a one off it would be OK but not to leave it on all the time.

- - mom74005 said
  - 20 May 2019
    5:39 pm
Oh no, I have maybe half taken it off and waited till morning. But omg this is horrific.

- - Shorty said
  - 20 May 2019
    10:42 am
I really don’t understand how you could do this to yourself…. hopefully she has learnt her lesson.

- - Nat213 said
  - 20 May 2019
    10:36 am
Oh gosh this makes my skin crawl! Poor girl, I’m glad she got it sorted. Entirely preventable.