If your eyes have been feeling dry, strained, or just not quite right lately, there’s a good chance it’s not random. It’s your routine.
The way we live now, constantly on screens, multitasking, layering on beauty products, and pushing through long days without pause, has quietly reshaped what eye health looks like. What used to show up later in life is now something ophthalmologists are seeing much earlier and far more often.
Dr. Julie Chung sees it every day. As an ophthalmologist at UCLA and co-founder of T3, she has a unique vantage point into how our modern habits intersect with both health and beauty. And according to her, many of the things we consider normal are actually working against our eyes in ways most people do not realize.
The Screen Time Effect No One Is Talking About
One of the biggest shifts she has seen is the rise of dry eye. Early in her career, it was something that typically showed up in older patients or those with underlying conditions. Now, it has become incredibly common, and screens are a major reason why.
When we stare at our phones or laptops, we blink far less than we are supposed to. That seemingly small change disrupts the tear film and leads to what is known as evaporative dry eye. Over time, that can show up as irritation, redness, or that familiar tired feeling so many people brush off.
Her advice is simple but often overlooked. Blink on purpose. She recommends taking what she calls “blink breaks” every 15 to 30 minutes, looking away from your screen, blinking deliberately, and giving your eyes a moment to reset. Artificial tears can also help support hydration when needed.
Your Makeup Routine Might Be Working Against You
Then there are the habits that live a little closer to our beauty routines. Not removing eye makeup thoroughly is one she sees all the time, and the impact goes beyond what most people expect.
Residual makeup collects at the base of the lashes and blocks the meibomian glands, which are responsible for producing the oil layer of your tear film. Without that oil, the tear film cannot stay intact, and dryness follows.
She often surprises patients by asking if they wore glitter makeup days earlier, even when they insist they are completely bare faced. Under a microscope, the buildup is still there. Over time, that debris can also lead to demodex, a microscopic mite that naturally exists on the skin but can overgrow when the lash line is not properly cleaned.
Her advice is straightforward. Remove eye makeup every night, thoroughly, and be mindful of what is left behind.
The Step Most People Skip Outdoors
Sun protection is another area where people tend to be inconsistent. UV exposure does not just affect the skin. Over time, it contributes to cataracts and conditions like pterygium, a growth that can extend onto the cornea.
Wearing sunglasses, especially in consistently sunny environments, is one of the simplest ways to protect your eyes long term, yet it is still often overlooked.
The Hidden Downsides of Lash Trends
Some of the more surprising concerns come from beauty trends themselves. Lash extensions, for example, may look effortless, but they create an environment where proper hygiene becomes nearly impossible.
The buildup along the lash line is something Dr. Chung sees clearly under magnification, and it is not subtle. That buildup, along with the adhesives used, can contribute to dry eye and even affect the health of the lash follicle over time. In some cases, that can lead to permanent lash loss.
Even temporary lashes, while less extreme, can still weaken the follicle with repeated use.
The Contact Lens Habits That Can Backfire
Contact lens habits are another major issue. Sleeping in contacts may seem harmless on occasion, but it can create microabrasions on the surface of the cornea. Those tiny openings become entry points for bacteria, increasing the risk of serious infection.
Swimming or using a jacuzzi while wearing contacts introduces an entirely different level of risk, exposing the eye to organisms like Acanthamoeba, which can cause severe and difficult to treat infections.
Even something as simple as rewetting lenses with tap water can lead to complications. For most people, daily disposable lenses are the safest option and significantly reduce the risk of infection.
What to Know Before Using Lash Growth Serums
Then there are lash growth serums, which have become increasingly popular but are not without side effects.
While they can be effective, Dr. Chung points out that many people are not fully informed about the potential downsides. These can include hyperpigmentation around the eye, inflammation, and even a gradual loss of fat around the eye area, leading to a more hollow appearance over time.
It is a subtle change that develops slowly, which is why many people do not immediately connect it to the product.
Her guidance is measured. These products are not something she would ever recommend for younger users, and for adults who choose to use them, less is more. Occasional use, rather than daily application, is often enough to see results without overexposing the delicate eye area.
