Tight lining one’s lashes is a popular technique. But did you know that if you tight line on the water line
you are setting yourself up for dry eye? Lining over the water line on the lower eye lid clogs the delicate
meibomian glands that produce the oily component of your tear film. This lipid layer is necessary to
prevent your tears from evaporating as soon as they are produced. The lipid layer keeps your tears in
place comfortably covering the delicate tissue of the cornea, the front clear part of your eye. Without
good oily tear coverage, your vision becomes distorted and your eyes become uncomfortable. This
discomfort can range anywhere from a gritty sandy burning sensation to itchiness to a paradoxical
constant and chronic watering of the eye. The watering stems from your lacrimal gland trying to keep
the cornea covered with water when there is not enough oil in the tear film to stabilize it. Constant
watering of the eye is not only annoying but also causes irritation of the skin on the outside corner of
the eye and permanent loss of eye lashes in that area over time. You can still use eyeliner on your
bottom lashes, but tight line between the lashes on the lower lid underneath of the lashes, not on top of
them. Your cornea will thank you for it! – Dr. Planitz, OP
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