Eyelash breakage/loss

[KadieJ]

I'm 56, wear gas permeable lenses, moderate amts of mascara and eyeliner 5/6 days a week for about 30 yrs, most recently only 3x wk.  I remove it with baby oil at night.  Have used same brands of everything for years.  No recent health/medicine changes. Since October 2007, I've been losing lashes and the remaining ones are very short--I pretty much look like I have none.  No itching, redness, etc.  At eye exams in Feb 2008 asked both the optometrist and opthalmologist about this. They said they had no idea, stop using eye makeup--which isn't a great option as I need to look decent for my job.  Read thru posts here.  Thanks for any help you may provide--

[AnnaE]

I guess you have tried false eyelashes, to avoid eye makeup? However, the glue might be a problem. You might look around for a non-toxic kind of glue.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

There may be some hormonal issues at work here - perhaps menopause playing a role.  I'm curious if an estrogen supplement supplement would benefit?  Unfortunately some people also just have better eyelashes than others.  I have no particular advice except to be gentler on the eyelashes - stop eye makeup, eyeliner, mascara for a few months and see if things improve.  Some glaucoma drops will make eyelashes grow longer, thicker and darker (but also cause red eyes and dark circles around eyes.)  These drops are not approved for lash growth at present but may possible be approved for such in the future.

Michael Kutryb, MD