Dry Eyes Wide Open: How to Keep Your Vision Safe Without Sacrificing Beauty
July is Dry Eye Awareness Month, and for me, this campaign is personal. Not just as a global advocate for eye health who has lobbied in Washington D.C. for greater research funding—but as the founder & creator of Èyes Are The Story, a brand born from science and designed to disrupt the status quo in beauty.
Millions of people suffer from dry eye disease (DED), yet many don’t realize that what they put on their eyes could be silently contributing to the condition. That’s where I come in—not just to raise awareness, but to change the narrative.
👁️ Dry Eye: The Untold Beauty Story
Dry eye is more than just a nuisance—it's a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface (aka the front part of the eye, including the tear film, cornea, conjunctiva, and eyelids), now officially redefined by the new TFOS DEWS III report, recently published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology. The authors included the word "symptomatic” in their definition, which is key, as that means it isn’t always visible—but it’s always felt.
In the U.S. alone, over 40 million people are affected. And here’s what’s rarely talked about:
👉 Women are two times more likely than men to suffer from dry eye disease.
Why? It’s not just hormones or aging. Many cosmetics we love—waterproof mascara, eyeliner, glittery eyeshadows, lash extensions, growth serums—can all contribute to dry eye symptoms. That’s exactly why Èyes Are The Story exists: to offer eye-safe, science-backed beauty that works with your eyes, not against them.
💄 Beauty Habits That Can Harm Your Eyes
Most of us don’t connect our favorite products with our symptoms. But if you’ve ever…
- Felt like mascara flecks or glitter were stuck in your eye
- Experienced burning or irritation that won’t go away
- Struggled to wear contact lenses while keeping makeup on
- Blinked constantly or suffered eye fatigue after screen time
- Reached for artificial tears multiple times a day
...you might be experiencing dry eye—and not even know it.
The truth? 66% of women regularly wear eye makeup, often applying products dangerously close to the meibomian glands (think the little pores in your eyelids that play a role in tear production). Meanwhile, among the ~12,500 chemicals are used for the formulation of cosmetics fewer than 20% of cosmetic ingredients have undergone any scientific safety review.1 That means thousands of unregulated chemicals are coming into daily contact with one of the most sensitive and exposed parts of your body: your eyes.
Among the top contributors to dry eye:
- Preservatives and pigments (like parabens, which have been linked to DED symptoms)
- Eyeliner applied to the waterline, blocking tear-producing glands
- False lashes and adhesives, which disrupt your natural eye defenses
- Improper removal techniques, leaving debris that inflames the ocular surface
🔬 The Science Behind Èyes Are The Story
At Èyes Are The Story, we do things differently. Our formulas are eye-science-based, rigorously tested by certified eye care professionals, dermatologists, and real users with sensitive eyes, dry eyes, and contact lenses. We never compromise on performance—but we also never compromise on eye wellness.
Our commitment? Beauty that protects. Science that empowers. Makeup that makes you feel confident and comfortable.
📣 Why This Matters—Now More Than Ever
Dry eye isn’t just on the rise—it’s being worsened by modern life: endless screen time, aging, cosmetic procedures, and beauty habits that overlook safety. As non-invasive treatments like injectables and peels become more common, so too does the need for smart, supportive skincare—especially around the eyes.
We need more education. More research. More accountability in the beauty industry. And we need to empower women with the knowledge that how you look should never come at the cost of how you see.
This Dry Eye Awareness Month, I invite you to choose beauty that tells a different story. One that protects your vision, supports your health, and celebrates your eyes—for everything they do, and everything they are.
From our eyes to yours,
Amy Gallant Sullivan, Founder Èyes Are The Story
P.S. Eye-opening factoid: high urinary levels of ethylparabens and methylparabens (popular ingredients in many cosmetics) are associated with the signs & symptoms of dry eye.1,2
1. Wang J, Liu Y, Kam WR, Li Y, Sullivan DA. Toxicity of the cosmetic preservatives parabens, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin on human meibomian gland epithelial cells. Exp Eye Res. 2020 Jul;196:108057. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108057. Epub 2020 May 5. PMID: 32387382.
2. Sullivan DA, da Costa AX, Del Duca E, Doll T, Grupcheva CN, Lazreg S, Liu SH, McGee SR, Murthy R, Narang P, Ng A, Nistico S, O'Dell L, Roos J, Shen J, Markoulli M. TFOS Lifestyle: Impact of cosmetics on the ocular surface. Ocul Surf. 2023 Apr 13;29:77-130. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2023.04.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37061220.
3. Frequency of makeup use among consumers in the United States as of May 2017, by age group. Statista. www.statista.com/statistics/713178/makeup-use-frequency-by-age/. Accessed June 27, 2025.
