Make-up in Bed Leaves Woman in Agony
- Sarah Koseki, from Idaho, habitually slept in make-up for nearly 20 years before developing Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, a chronic disorder of the oil-producing glands along the
- A corneal injury sustained during a family holiday in Mexico led to recurrent attacks lasting up to 48 hours, eventually affecting both eyes and leaving her unable to drive or
- An eye surgeon cautioned that overnight eye make-up can block Meibomian gland openings, though doctors note that MGD has multiple risk factors and a direct causal link to Koseki's
A woman who went to bed wearing make-up nearly every night for almost two decades has been left with a chronic eye condition that requires intensive daily treatment and has, at its worst, left her unable to drive, work, or see properly.
Holiday pain that would not subside
Sarah Koseki, who is from Boise, Idaho, began leaving her make-up on overnight from the age of 18. She described the habit as unremarkable because her skin never broke out and she was often too tired after a night out to remove it. The consequences became apparent during a family holiday in Mexico, when she was 37, as her eyelid began to feel as though it was adhering to her eyeball "like velcro". Attempting to open her eye produced what she described as a knife-like pain. She reported being unable to find relief with either open or closed eyes and was unable to sleep.
After returning home, doctors in Idaho confirmed a corneal injury. Antibiotic eye drops and rest initially appeared to resolve the problem. Three months later, however, the pain returned and the episodes became more frequent, with some lasting up to 48 hours at a stretch. Both corneas eventually became affected.
Diagnosis: Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
At a specialist clinic, Koseki was diagnosed with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, known as MGD. The condition involves the small glands along the eyelid margin — which ordinarily produce an oily substance that prevents the tear film from evaporating too quickly — becoming blocked or damaged. When those glands fail, the eye can dry severely, leaving the cornea more vulnerable to injury. MGD is considered a significant underlying cause of dry-eye disease.
Eye surgeon Mfazo Hove, commenting on the case, explained that the openings of the Meibomian glands sit directly along the lid margin. Leaving eye make-up on overnight, he said, can promote blockages and inflammation at precisely that location. He recommended removing all eye make-up thoroughly before sleep and advised against regularly applying eyeliner to the inner lid margin. He also suggested that anyone experiencing weeks of dry or watery eyes, or blurred vision, seek medical advice.
It is important to note, however, that a direct causal link between Koseki's long-standing habit and the onset of MGD cannot be established. The condition has numerous recognised risk factors, including age, hormonal changes, inflammation of the eyelid margins, contact-lens wear, and certain systemic illnesses.
Life after diagnosis
Koseki now avoids eye make-up almost entirely and follows a daily care routine that includes using eye drops six times a day, a warm eye mask, and an ointment applied before sleep. A course of laser treatment brought her temporary relief. She described the pain of a corneal rupture in stark terms: "I would rather go through childbirth again than have another corneal tear." During acute episodes, she has been unable to drive, work, or see at all.
Her experience, however anecdotal, has prompted renewed medical attention to a habit many consider trivial. Microbiologists have previously flagged the broader risks of nightly hygiene shortcuts, and eye specialists continue to stress that the lid margin is among the more vulnerable and often neglected areas of the face.
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